New South Wales

Legislative Assembly

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)

Fifty-Seventh Parliament First Session

Thursday, 19 November 2020

Authorised by the Parliament of

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Documents ...... 4849 Auditor-General ...... 4849 Reports ...... 4849 Bills ...... 4849 Appropriation Bill 2020 ...... 4849 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020 ...... 4849 Payroll Tax Amendment Bill 2020 ...... 4849 Second Reading Debate ...... 4849 Third Reading ...... 4852 Budget ...... 4852 Budget Estimates and Related Papers 2020-2021 ...... 4852 Budget Estimates and Related Papers 2019-2020 ...... 4853 Bills ...... 4853 Bushfires Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 ...... 4853 Consideration in Detail ...... 4853 Public Works and Procurement Amendment (Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer) Bill 2020 . 4857 Second Reading Debate ...... 4857 Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020 ...... 4861 Second Reading Debate ...... 4861 Motions ...... 4871 Surf Life Saving Clubs ...... 4871 Domestic Violence and Acquired Brain Injury ...... 4876 24-Hour Economy Strategy ...... 4881 Dubbo Daffodil Day ...... 4885 Announcements ...... 4887 Member for Canterbury ...... 4887 Member for Murray ...... 4887 Member for Port Stephens ...... 4887 Member for ...... 4887 Member for Port Macquarie ...... 4887 Member for Ku-ring-gai ...... 4887 Brett Wright ...... 4887 Chamber Dress Standards ...... 4887 Members ...... 4887 Representation of Ministers Absent During Questions ...... 4887 Question Time ...... 4888 Camellia Land Purchase ...... 4888 Government Performance ...... 4888 Camellia Land Purchase ...... 4889 Regional New South Wales ...... 4890 TABLE OF CONTENTS—continuing

Minister for Transport and Roads ...... 4890 State Budget and Working Families ...... 4891 Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital ...... 4892 State Budget and Local Courts ...... 4894 Foreign Investment ...... 4895 State Budget and Farm Safety ...... 4896 Bills ...... 4898 ICAC and Other Independent Commissions Legislation Amendment (Independent Funding) Bill 2020 ...... 4898 First Reading ...... 4898 Committees ...... 4898 Legislative Assembly Committee on Community Services ...... 4898 Reports ...... 4898 Business of the House ...... 4898 Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders: Order of Business ...... 4898 Documents ...... 4898 Department of the Legislative Assembly and Department of Parliamentary Services ...... 4898 Reports ...... 4898 Committees ...... 4898 Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics ...... 4898 Reference ...... 4898 Petitions ...... 4899 Petitions Received ...... 4899 Motions ...... 4899 Christmas Felicitations ...... 4899 Petitions ...... 4905 Sydney Bus Services ...... 4905 Live Music Industry ...... 4911 Documents ...... 4916 NSW Bush Fire Season Outlook 2020-21 ...... 4916 Tabling ...... 4916 Motions ...... 4916 Christmas Felicitations ...... 4916 Business of the House ...... 4933 Special Adjournment ...... 4933 Private Members' Statements ...... 4933 2connect ...... 4933 North Shore Electorate Schools ...... 4934 Hurstville Traffic Safety ...... 4935 State Budget and South Coast Electorate ...... 4935 Canterbury Multicultural Mental Health Roundtable ...... 4936 State Budget and Granville Electorate ...... 4937 TABLE OF CONTENTS—continuing

Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals ...... 4938 Central Coast Mental Health Services ...... 4939 Orange Electorate ...... 4940 Coffs Harbour Electorate ...... 4941 Green Square ...... 4942 State Budget and Londonderry Electorate ...... 4942 Research and Development ...... 4943 Wingecarribee Shire Council Destination Strategy ...... 4944 Tribute to Billie Kinder ...... 4945 Community Recognition Statements ...... 4945 Johns River Public School ...... 4945 Tristin Condon ...... 4945 Remembrance Day ...... 4946 Music Saved me Podcast ...... 4946 Jannali Public School ...... 4946 Mel King ...... 4946 Louise Hardman ...... 4946 Vince Gauci ...... 4947 World Pancreatic Cancer Day...... 4947 Tribute to Joe Vizzone ...... 4947 Remembrance Day ...... 4947 Save Our Sands ...... 4947 Riverwood Hornets ...... 4948 Cobar Rotary Club ...... 4948 Thelma Florence Taylor...... 4948 MacKillop Catholic College ...... 4948 Central Coast Midwives ...... 4948 Cootamundra Electorate Hidden Treasures ...... 4949 Cooper Ryan ...... 4949 Terrigal Electorate Justices of the Peace ...... 4949 Lugarno Public School ...... 4949 Pauline Maniskas ...... 4949 Robyn and Charles Berg ...... 4950 Central Coast Lifeline ...... 4950 COVID-19 and Border Communities ...... 4950 Les Smith ...... 4950 Kogarah Community Services ...... 4951 Girls on the Green ...... 4951 The Jeremiah Project ...... 4951 Share the Dignity Charity ...... 4951 NAIDOC Week 2020 ...... 4951 Bankstown District Uniting Church ...... 4952 TABLE OF CONTENTS—continuing

Liz Barlow ...... 4952 Piggott's Pharmacy...... 4952 Neisha Manning ...... 4952 Katie Newcombe ...... 4952 Bulahdelah Business Chamber ...... 4953 Glenfield Public School ...... 4953 Victoria Ellis and Brandon Joynson ...... 4953 Peninsula Rural Fire Service ...... 4953 Life in Sydney Snapshot ...... 4953 International Drug Users' Day ...... 4954 Vic Alhadeff ...... 4954 Dennis Peters ...... 4954 Debbie Booth ...... 4954 Sydney Airfield Tour ...... 4954 45 Years of SBS in Australia ...... 4955 Blacksmiths Public School ...... 4955 St Mary's Catholic College ...... 4955 Jenny Gledhill — Coomealla ...... 4955 Barry Francis ...... 4956 Pomingalarna Reserve ...... 4956 Father Josh Miechels ...... 4956 Vvip Cleaning Services Launch ...... 4956 Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Awards ...... 4956 Mia Armitage ...... 4957 Bangalow Historical Society ...... 4957 Commemorating HMAS Sydney II ...... 4957 Perinatal Mental Health Week ...... 4957 Carly and Hannah Robinson ...... 4958 Aunt Priscilla Wightman ...... 4958 Kenya Health Murwillumbah ...... 4958 Castle Hill Public School P&c ...... 4958 Recognising Rob Katz ...... 4958 Nurses in the Charlestown Electorate ...... 4959 Scouting ...... 4959 Mick Reid ...... 4959 Vincentia High School Students ...... 4959 Vic Alhadeff ...... 4960 St Paul the Apostle Primary School's Margaret Aylward Awards 2020 ...... 4960 Seven Hills North Public School Staff ...... 4960 Wambo Coal Singleton Hall of Fame ...... 4960 Lillian May Baldwin & Penrith RSL Sub-Branch ...... 4960 Bingarra University of the Third Age ...... 4961 TABLE OF CONTENTS—continuing

Inverell Mountain Bike Club ...... 4961 Narrandera High School ...... 4961 Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Coaches Association ...... 4961 Clarence Valley Sports Awards ...... 4961 Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society ...... 4962 World Fisheries Day ...... 4962 Transport ...... 4962 Camden Council Garden Competition 2020 ...... 4962 Balmain Electorate Team...... 4963 National Ag Day ...... 4963 Windgap ...... 4963 World Pancreatic Cancer Day...... 4963 June Killington ...... 4963 Killara Station Upgrade ...... 4964 Wollondilly Constituents ...... 4964 Cataract Scout Park ...... 4964 St John Ambulance Blacktown City Awards ...... 4964 Thank You Vic Alhadeff ...... 4964 Community Service Awards for RFS Captains ...... 4965 Brian Hutchison – 43 Years of Service Funeral Industry ...... 4965 Icas Results 2020 ...... 4965 Rotary Club of Granville ...... 4965 Holsworthy Christmas Card Competition ...... 4966 Nowra-Bomaderry Jets ...... 4966 Hidden Treasure Mrs Cheryl Pearce ...... 4966 Documents ...... 4966 Auditor-General ...... 4966 Reports ...... 4966 Bills ...... 4967 Appropriation Bill 2020 ...... 4967 Payroll Bill 2020 ...... 4967 Returned ...... 4967 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020 ...... 4967 Electricity Infrastructure Investment Bill 2020 ...... 4967 Returned ...... 4967 Motions ...... 4967 Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders ...... 4967 Bills ...... 4967 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020 ...... 4967 Consideration in Detail ...... 4967 Electricity Infrastructure Investment Bill 2020 ...... 4977 Consideration in Detail ...... 4977 TABLE OF CONTENTS—continuing

Community Recognition Statements ...... 4980 Jenny Farrell and Garry Best ...... 4980 Bay Fm ...... 4980 Davidson Electorate Community Building Partnership Program ...... 4981 Maitland Business Chamber ...... 4981 Connells Point Rovers Football Club ...... 4981 The Social Outfit ...... 4981 Kings Langley Athletics Centre ...... 4981 Tribute to Diego Maradona ...... 4982 Liverpool Fairfield Community Radio ...... 4982 Dr George Miller ...... 4982 North Shore Bear Pit Public Speaking Competition ...... 4982 Ian Joseph Kim ...... 4982 Great Southern Nights ...... 4983 Rewire Youth Magazine ...... 4983 Hawkesbury Electorate Small Businesses ...... 4983 Morpeth Police Pop-Up ...... 4983 Terry Kearns ...... 4983 Raise Foundation ...... 4984 Gannons Park, Peakhurst ...... 4984 Maria Pyros ...... 4984 East Hills Electorate Christmas Card Competition ...... 4984 John O'Brien ...... 4984 Central Coast Ambulances ...... 4985 East Maitland RSL Sub-Branch ...... 4985 City of Liverpool and District Historical Society ...... 4985 Joanna Lee and Mona Wu ...... 4985 Glenn and Clare Wiseman ...... 4985 Dennis Family Agricultural Business ...... 4986 State Budget and Camden Electorate ...... 4986 Rail, Tram, and Bus Union ...... 4986 National Agriculture and Related Industries Day ...... 4986 Kurnell Men's Shed...... 4986 The Shepherd Centre ...... 4987 The Entrance State Electoral Council ...... 4987 Central Coast Rural Fire Service ...... 4987

Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4849

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 19 November 2020

The Speaker (The Hon. Jonathan Richard O'Dea) took the chair at 09:30. The Speaker read the prayer and acknowledgement of country.

Documents AUDITOR-GENERAL Reports The CLERK: In accordance with section 63C of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, I announce receipt of: (1) Auditor-General's Financial Audit Report entitled State Finances 2020, dated 19 November 2020, received this day and authorised to be printed. (2) Performance Audit Report of the Auditor-General entitled Government Advertising 2018-19 and 2019-20, dated 19 November 2020, received this day and authorised to be printed. [Notices of motions given] Bills APPROPRIATION BILL 2020 APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL 2020 PAYROLL TAX AMENDMENT BILL 2020 Second Reading Debate Debate resumed from 17 November 2020. The SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, I remind all members to extend the usual courtesy to her and allow her to deliver her speech in reply to the budget uninterrupted. Ms JODI McKAY (Strathfield) (09:46:31): A budget is about more than numbers or reams of spreadsheets and an appropriation bill. The only reason budgets are important is because they impact people and families in every way. When we think about this budget, we think about the people of New South Wales. We think of the students finishing their HSC and wondering where and when they will get a job. We think of the small business owners who have dipped into their savings just to make ends meet. We think of the 310,000 people out of work and the thousands more who have simply given up looking. We think of the families, from north to south and east to west, who are struggling to pay the mortgage. We think of the people across regional and rural New South Wales who have been battered by bushfires, devastated by drought and left frail from floods. We think of our multicultural communities who have been unable to celebrate during their holiest of occasions. We think about First Nations people and the far too many gaps we have tried but failed to close. We think of the most vulnerable in our community, the rising number of homeless people, those in our care system, our seniors, and those with a disability. When I listened to the Treasurer hand down this budget, I asked myself, "What does it do for these people, for families and communities?" Labor set two tests for this budget. Test number one: Does the budget meet the challenges of today, that is, the worst economic crisis to hit New South Wales since the Great Depression? Does it deliver what people need right now for their lives and livelihoods? And test number two: Does the budget meet the test of tomorrow? Does it set the vision and lay the foundations needed for New South Wales to rebuild and thrive in a post-COVID world? To answer those questions we need to reflect not only on the economic conditions as we come out of this pandemic but also on those as we went into it. We entered this economic crisis from an already weakened position. We had $13.5 billion in budget blowouts and barely a single project on time or on budget. Our net debt was forecast to reach $41 billion by 2023—the highest level in a generation. Our taxes are growing faster than any other State in the country. The budget projections are downgraded like clockwork. The wage growth was already weak and is only getting weaker. We have a balance sheet that is stripped of assets and the revenue they once provided, and our triple-A credit rating has been put on negative watch. The truth is that we tripped over on the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4850

economy well before this terrible tumble into recession, and because of these feeble economic foundations so much depended on the strength of our stimulus response. I have been acutely aware during this pandemic and recession that the people of New South Wales want their leaders to work together and to be bipartisan. All year Labor members have offered our bipartisan support for any reasonable stimulus proposal, and we will continue to do so. Our standard for stimulus is simple: Does it deliver what is needed for those who need it when they need it, and does it deliver jobs both now and into the future? On this, the Government has failed time and time again. More than 90 per cent of small businesses received no grant of any kind in this budget, meaning that more than 710,000 small businesses are left on their own. Payroll tax relief went to less than half of all eligible businesses; landlords and tenants received only 15 per cent of what was promised; barely half of all eligible tradies have received licence fee waivers; sole traders, partnerships and startups were completely overlooked; and low-income families doing it tough were promised help with their bills but only a third of what was earmarked was distributed. The international education and tourism sectors were treated as an afterthought. Our international students were left to fend for themselves for food and housing and our global reputation was damaged. The support for the arts, culture and the night-time economy has been too little, too late. We have seen lots of promises and press releases, but when you get into the detail this budget is all smoke and mirrors and cynical re-announcements. We are in different times, yet there is nothing different or brave in this budget that recognises the challenges ahead in a world forever altered. Because of this, our economic recovery will be harder and it will be longer. This budget was a chance to boldly set ourselves on a road to recovery that would meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Instead, we have a budget that is built on heroic assumptions predicated on a world with a vaccine, open borders and a return to trade but no plan for the world that we live in now. We have a budget that is built upon broken promises, selling assets and cutting workers' wages. Those policies mug people's wallets and act as a handbrake on the economy. The wages of 400,000 public sector workers have been slashed. They are the men and women who protected us during the pandemic and bushfires. This Government is taking cash out of the pockets of our health workers, teachers, police and prison guards, firefighters, bus and train drivers, cleaners and so many more, hurting their ability to spend. Labor's message to them is: You have had our back and we will always have yours. We also stand proudly with our unions and all workers who have kept us going. This pandemic has changed a lot, but it has not changed this Government's addiction to privatisation. On election eve in 2019 the Premier famously promised that there would be no more privatisation. She said, "If we were, we would have told you." Of course, that was then and this is now. In the weakest of markets this Government is privatising more. The State once generated $2.7 billion in revenue from its assets every year. That is money that pays for essential services and infrastructure. But now, when we need it most, that money is not there—and the Government wants to sell off what is left. This budget gives no certainty to community organisations for the work that they do. The budget delivers rural New South Wales a new tax on farms but not the resources needed to address a rural health crisis. It also fails to deliver more than 90 promised schools and over a dozen promised hospitals. This is a short-term budget that does nothing to set us up for success on the other side of the pandemic and recession. This budget is a lot of things but the one thing it is not is surprising; it is exactly what we have come to expect from this Government. The truth is that this is a tired 10-year-old government, and it shows in this budget. For 10 years we have seen more than $13.5 billion worth of blowouts on megaprojects. For 10 years tolls have gone up while wages have gone down. For 10 years the only thing growing faster than the wait for social housing has been the wait for elective surgery. For 10 years we have seen a lack of ministerial accountability and for 10 years we have seen rolling scandals and chaos. This Government has lost sight of the very people it is elected to serve, and that shows in a budget written by a Premier and Treasurer whose integrity has been shredded. We have a Premier who has been dragged through the Independent Commission Against Corruption and who not only failed to tell ICAC what she knew of 's corruption but also failed to disclose her relationship and conflict of interest under the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct. We have a Premier who rorted a quarter-billion dollar grants program and funnelled 95 per cent of that money into Liberal and Nationals electorates ahead of an election. And where is the evidence of that manipulation? It was shredded and the computer files were deleted. Then we have a Treasurer now drained of authority and credibility who has catastrophically bungled the workers compensation scheme. On his watch the wages of more than 50,000 sick and injured workers were stolen. Worse still, business premiums were used to pay 200 staff bonuses and illegally employ political staff in his office. Now more than ever we need to restore trust and integrity in government, but if we cannot trust this Premier and this Treasurer then we cannot trust this Government with the all-important task of our recovery. A Labor government would deliver a very different budget based on very different foundations. Just as it did during the global financial crisis, Labor would have acted faster and more decisively to provide stimulus for all those who Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4851

need it. Liberal-Nationals budgets keep the status quo; they just do more of the same. But Labor budgets paint on a new canvas and seek to navigate the changes that are coming to imagine a better tomorrow. The world has changed utterly before our very eyes, and this budget has not taken that change into account. It is a budget that could have been delivered two years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago. It is the same old tired template that this Government has used year after year. A Labor budget would speak to very different priorities and values in a very different time. This Government puts property developers first; we put communities first. This Government puts the people who own the toll roads first; we put the people who drive on them first. This Government puts vested interests first; we put the interests of workers first. Labor members understand that a true recovery cannot touch just one part of the economy in the short term. A true recovery will set up our State for a decade of prosperity. Labor would deliver a budget that delivered stimulus to our suburbs, recovery to our regions and a comeback for country New South Wales. It would deliver jobs for young and old, jobs for women and men, jobs in the city and the country, jobs in our regions and our suburbs, jobs in our traditional industries, jobs in the environment sector and jobs for the future. A Labor budget would not just prioritise the construction of Sydney megaprojects. This Government boasts of its infrastructure projects but its words are hollow, and the community foots the bill for its budget blowouts, bungles and tolls and when the ferries do not fit under bridges or the trains do not fit the tracks. This Government has offshored tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs. It has sourced sourcing ferries from Indonesia, buses from Malaysia and light rail carriages from France and Spain. A couple of months ago the Premier said that New South Wales is not good at building trains, and that is why we have to purchase them. I despair that we have a Premier who would give up on the ability of our State to build things. When I lived in the Hunter, I shared the pride that the community felt every time a new Tangara carriage built in Newcastle rolled down the tracks. I have seen that sense of pride across the Illawarra and while visiting in St Marys last month, where they spoke about their pioneering electric buses. Only Labor understands that when we manufacture in New South Wales, we create jobs in New South Wales. We create industries in New South Wales. We give businesses and entrepreneurs the confidence to employ more people, invest in research and development, take on apprentices and contribute to local communities. Under Labor's NSW Made policy, no longer will local jobs be a promise that can be broken; they will be a pledge that must be met. We will create the NSW Jobs First Advocate, who will make sure government-funded projects deliver jobs in New South Wales right through the supply chain and that government projects deliver skills and opportunities for apprentices, trainees and cadets. Our experiences over the past year have changed how we live and work. Our local communities have become much more important. Confined to them, we have come to see their true value. For 10 years this Government has failed to meet the needs of families and the communities that they live in. Roads are clogged and parks and walking tracks are missing. Schools and commuter carparks have been promised but not delivered. Families are moving to the outer suburbs of Sydney but the local infrastructure is years behind. What good is a mega toll road when people spend hours in traffic in their local area dropping their children at school? What good is a mega toll road when people cannot get a car park at their local station? When we build better neighbourhoods we create jobs, so let us deliver local infrastructure and at the same time deliver jobs for local people, apprenticeships for young people, local tradies on site and the use of local supply chains. Under Labor's Building Better Neighbourhoods approach, we would work hand in hand with local councils to deliver the infrastructure that is needed when it is needed. We would focus on every community, from western Sydney to the Far West, the Hunter to the Illawarra, the North Coast to the South Coast and the Central Coast to the Central West. Badgerys Creek and the aerotropolis present one of the greatest opportunities to shape a jobs-focused future. Let us commit to a local jobs guarantee. No more lazy targets and empty promises—let us see a real jobs commitment. Let us mandate local workers, local suppliers, local skills and local businesses. Let us bring together the powers of local, State and Federal government to build infrastructure and expand local jobs. Let us commit to the young people of western Sydney so they will get a job in western Sydney. Once we have built the infrastructure we need to provide services. Today in New South Wales more than 132,000 women are out of work. During the pandemic women were the hardest hit. Empowering women's economic participation over the next decade will require bold new reforms and dedicated workforce planning. All year it has been Labor pushing the Government for free access to preschool and early childhood learning in New South Wales. It is good for mums and dads and, of course, it is good for early childhood development. As I speak, more than 70,000 young people have just finished their HSC. Many I have talked with tell me that they are struggling. They are facing a very uncertain future. In New South Wales 90,000 young people are unemployed. In western Sydney the rate is one in five, and it is just as high on the North Coast. Young people are facing the worst labour market since the Great Depression, with a TAFE system that has been gutted by this Government and without the skills that it once provided. Under this Government school Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4852

performance has fallen to the worst on record, with the worst results in maths, science and literacy in 20 years. The generation that will most need its education is the generation that has been left wanting. This budget could have given young people something. It could have given them support for a job or support to build their skills. But the budget has failed to give them help and it has failed to give them hope. We need a major rethink in this State about how we build skills, create jobs and ensure opportunities for all young people. They deserve a guaranteed place in employment, education and training. We need to leverage opportunities in the public sector, partner with the private sector and work with the Commonwealth. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to act and to give young people opportunities and, most importantly, hope for the future. One can tell more about a government by what it does not speak about than by what it does. With this Government it is all hard hats and high-vis vests, but we do not often hear it talk about the people who are struggling the most: kids in care; people with a disability and their carers; those waiting for shelter from domestic violence or for social housing; and First Nations people all over New South Wales, who have been so tragically left behind. The Government certainly does not talk about the epidemic that it is too afraid to even acknowledge— an epidemic that reflects how the world has changed. We know our mental health system is critically under-resourced. In New South Wales mental health patients wait longer than ever for emergency care and receive the least community support. Young people in our schools do not have access to the support they need, with just one counsellor for every 743 students. Last month I attended the funeral of 18-year-old Maya. She took her own life just a year out of school. Her mother is my friend. She knew Maya was having difficulty but her daughter could not find the help she needed. The few services that were available were not suitable for a young person. My friend Kym shared her grief with me the morning Maya died. Hers was the most tragic grief of all: that of a mother outliving her child. Mental health and suicide have been in the too-hard basket for too long. When we speak of community resilience and lessons learnt from this year, we must let mental health support be at the top of the list. We need a chance to share stories so we learn from experience. That is why we need a royal commission into mental health and suicide—for all the people who suffer and all who will come after us, and in memory of too many lives lost. For Labor, this budget has two tests: the test of today and the test of tomorrow. It has failed both. It is not a budget for today or tomorrow; it is bogged down in the failed ideas of yesterday, handed down by those who cannot see the future because they are stuck in the past. This budget should have been a fork in the road of our economic recovery—a chance to rebuild, reset and renew, and to meet the challenges of a changed world. Instead it is an opportunity squandered and a promise unfilled. Of all the budget's failings, none are greater than the failure to deliver for people: for Amro, Ashok and Rakesh, small business owners I met last month in Seven Hills; for Zoe and Isaac, whose school in Murwillumbah this budget does not upgrade but instead closes; for Will, Josh, Zara, Molly and James of the Cooma youth council, who asked me for just one thing—mental health support; for the team at Lou's Place, who provide such critical support to women in need; for Brendon, the RFS captain I met in Balmoral, who told me we could never again let our firefighters go so under-resourced; for the proud Country Women's Association branches I meet wherever I go; for Natasha and the team at Café Y and Project Youth, who help young people in Heathcote and Holsworthy; and for Isaac and his family, who are still waiting for the Rouse Hill hospital. They deserved better from this budget. They deserved better from their Government. So let us give them a budget that paints on a new canvas— one that looks to the future, that lifts people up, that invests in tomorrow, gives hope for the next chapter and brings people together. Let us give the people of New South Wales the Labor budget they deserve. The SPEAKER: The question is that these bills be now read a second time. Motion agreed to. Third Reading Mr : I move: That these bills be now read a third time. Motion agreed to. Budget BUDGET ESTIMATES AND RELATED PAPERS 2020-2021 Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: I move: That this House take note of the Budget Estimates and Related Papers for 2020-2021. Debate adjourned. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4853

BUDGET ESTIMATES AND RELATED PAPERS 2019-2020 The SPEAKER: The question is that the House take note of the Budget Estimates and Related Papers for 2019-2020. Motion agreed to. Bills BUSHFIRES LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2020 Consideration in Detail Consideration of the Legislative Council's amendments. Schedule of amendments referred to in message of 18 November 2020 No. 1 OPP No. 1 [c2020-246C] Page 3, Schedule 1[1], lines 2–29. Omit all words on those lines. No. 2 OPP No. 2 [c2020-246C] Page 3, Schedule 1[2], line 31. Omit "15 members". Insert instead "20 members". No. 3 OPP No. 3 [c2020-246C] Page 4, Schedule 1[7]. Insert after line 10— (n) a person employed in Fire and Rescue NSW nominated by the Fire Brigade Employees Union, (o) a person nominated by NTSCorp Limited (ACN 098 971 209), (p) a person nominated by the Minister to promote the integrity of cultural burning, (q) a volunteer rural fire fighter nominated by the NSW Rural Fire Service Association Inc, (r) a fire fighter nominated by the Public Service Association. No. 4 OPP No. 4 [c2020-246C] Page 6, Schedule 1[27], proposed section 100RA(3), line 26. Insert "written" before "agreement". No. 5 GRN No. 4 [c2020-262B] Page 7, Schedule 1[27], proposed section 100RA. Insert after line 16— (9) The following provisions apply to the Rural Boundary Clearing Code, and to publication of the Code in the Gazette, in the same way as they apply to a statutory rule, and to publication of a statutory rule on the NSW legislation website— (a) sections 40 and 41 of the Interpretation Act 1987, (b) section 8 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989. No. 6 OPP No. 8 [c2020-246C] Page 8. Insert after line 8— [28] Sections 138–140 Insert after section 137— 138 NSW Bushfire Inquiry—Ministerial progress reports The Minister must cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a report on the Government's progress in implementing all 76 recommendations of the Final Report of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, dated 31 July 2020, every 3 months. 139 Review of Bushfires Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (1) The Minister must review the amendments made to this Act by the Bushfires Legislation Amendment Act 2020 to determine whether the policy objectives of the amendments remain valid and whether the terms of the amendments remain appropriate for securing those objectives. (2) The review must be undertaken before 30 June 2021. (3) The Minister must cause to be laid before each House of Parliament a report on the outcome of the review as soon as practicable after 30 June 2021. 140 Presentation of report if Parliament not sitting Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4854

(1) If a House of Parliament is not sitting when the Minister must cause to be laid a report before it under section 138 or 139, the Minister must present the report to the Clerk of the House concerned. (2) The report that is presented to the Clerk of a House— (a) is, on presentation and for all purposes, taken to have been laid before the House, and (b) may be printed by authority of the Clerk of the House, and (c) if printed, is for all purposes taken to be a document published by or under the authority of the House, and (d) must be recorded— (i) for the Legislative Council, in the Minutes of Proceedings of the Legislative Council, and (ii) for the Legislative Assembly, in the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, on the first sitting day of the House after receipt of the report by the Clerk. Ms (Holsworthy) (10:13:12): On behalf of Mr David Elliott: I move: That the Legislative Council's amendments be agreed to. As the amendments that have been made in the other place do not substantially change the nature of the bill, the Government will not oppose them. The Bushfires Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 forms part of the Government's response to last season's unprecedented and devastating bushfires. The bill forms part of the Government's response to the recommendations of the independent NSW Bushfire Inquiry. The inquiry was commissioned by the Premier in January this year to learn the lessons of last summer's bushfires, with the aim of making New South Wales better prepared for the future. The inquiry consulted widely, receiving nearly 2,000 submissions and holding discussions with firefighters and bushfire-affected communities across the State. This bill implements recommendations of the bushfire inquiry and draws on the consultation carried out by the inquiry. The announcements made to date and this bill represent just the first steps of the Government's comprehensive response to the inquiry and its recommendations. The Minister has been clear that the Government's response to the 2019-20 bushfires will not be limited to the inquiry's recommendations. Where there are further initiatives that will help make New South Wales safer from bushfires, then it is appropriate for the Government to retain the discretion to consider those initiatives and, if appropriate, implement them. The NSW Bushfire Inquiry report acknowledges that many of the recommendations cannot be immediately actioned. That is why the inquiry report incorporates a suggested time line for the implementation of the recommendations. For example, of a total of 76 recommendations, 21 are identified by the inquiry as requiring further research or collaboration with other Australian governments. However, members of the House will be well informed of the Government's progress in implementing the inquiry's recommendations. The Government is not opposed to amendments proposed by the New South Wales Labor Party to ensure that this critical bill can have the support of both Houses to ensure our State's safety can be enhanced as soon as possible. The Government has agreed to recommendations from the Opposition in the other place and will provide three-monthly reports to the Parliament on the implementation of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry recommendations. The bill implements recommendation 28 of the inquiry, which called upon the Government to review vegetation clearing policies to ensure they are clear and easy to navigate for the community and that they enable appropriate bushfire risk management by individual landowners without undue cost or complexity. The bill simplifies vegetation clearing by permitting landholders in rural zones to clear vegetation on their property within 25 metres of their property boundary. The bill will empower owners and occupiers to clear vegetation on their property without the need for a licence, approval, consent or other authorisation under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, or any other Act or instrument. However, clearing must be done in accordance with the Rural Boundary Clearing Code, which will address environmental, cultural and heritage issues. I note that there was significant debate in the other place on this code, with proponents of more clearing and those who sought no provision for our rural communities at all. I put on record my acknowledgement of comments made by a number of members about the primacy of life and property over trees, including the heartfelt contribution by the Hon. , MLC. I make it clear that the Government would never seek to introduce legislation that puts life and property behind the lives of animals or trees. I thank the Opposition for supporting this important ability for rural landholders to clear land on their property. The Government has also agreed to make rural boundary clearing codes subject to review by the Parliament, similar to the review of statutory rules. The Government has agreed that this legislation should be Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4855

subject to review. Further, Ministers will need to provide written agreement to the Rural Boundary Clearing Code. The Government's proposal is well balanced and entirely reasonable. The bill also creates a greater consistency between public and private landholders in a public safety-first approach. That is in response to recommendation 24 of the inquiry, which states that public land managers should aspire to be the best neighbours possible in terms of bushfire preparedness. This is being implemented by amendments that allow a senior RFS officer to serve bushfire hazard reduction notices on public authorities; introduce a penalty for public authorities and corporations that fail to comply with a bushfire hazard reduction notice; and provide that land may not be excluded from requirements to repair or replace dividing fences under existing section 76 or from the recovery of costs related to repairing or replacing dividing fences damaged or destroyed by bushfire under existing section 77. If we expect private landholders to take these actions, so too should our public landholders. The bill improves governance arrangements for hazard reduction and bushfire preparedness by expanding the RFS commissioner's audit powers for bushfire plans and enhancing the management of bushfire hazard complaints and the management of bushfire hazard reduction notices. The bill makes rebuilding easier for those who lost their homes in last season's bushfires by providing a 24-month exemption from biodiversity assessment and offsetting for people seeking to rebuild property that was damaged or destroyed in the 2019-20 bushfires. The Government has accepted a number of amendments moved by the Opposition, other than the amendment regarding Bushfire Inquiry reporting that I have already mentioned. The Government has accepted Labor amendments to remove the provision for the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner to establish industry brigades. We accept that more time is needed to resolve the misconceptions around this provision. We know that even the Labor Party seemed divided on the concept of industry brigades, with the member for Cessnock objecting to "the creation of industry brigades" and the member for Maitland stating she was "concerned about the industry brigades". On the other hand, the member for Prospect, a volunteer firefighter himself, suggested there had been "some confusion about what an industry brigade is" noting that it is in fact "straightforward". The member for Prospect is not alone. The member for Lismore, representing a bushfire affected electorate, said a number of times of the industry brigade provision, "I think it is a good thing." The Government accepts the concerns of the Opposition about industry brigades and has agreed to remove those provisions from the bill. It does not share those concerns, and strongly disputes the imputation that this section of the bill was intended to privatise firefighting. It is unfortunate that members in the other place chose not to provide New South Wales with the same industry brigade capability that is already in place in Victoria and used effectively by Victoria's Country Fire Authority. Another area where the Government facilitated Labor amendments was in the composition of the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee. Those amendments sought to expand the committee. The bill as amended does not deviate substantially from the original bill and will help make New South Wales safer from bush fires. It will implement recommendations of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry. I thank members of the Legislative Council for their contribution and I commend the bill to the House. Ms (Blue Mountains) (10:21:19): On behalf of the Labor Opposition as the shadow Minister for emergency services I contribute to the debate on the Bushfires Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. I accept the amendments as passed in the Legislative Council and support its resolution. I want to make a few points in relation to those amendments. The Bushfire Legislation Amendment Bill 2020 was not the best of bills. I believe that a range of amendments have made it better. It is still far from perfect but I really do believe that those amendments and our efforts have improved it considerably. As the bill was rammed through the Legislative Assembly—with none of our stakeholders consulted—we were rushed and had very little time to negotiate, to secure support and talk to stakeholders about the impact of the bill. I am pleased that we have made several amendments which will strengthen actions coming out of the bill. I will speak to those in a moment. I thank my upper House colleagues for the work they did with me on this in a very short space of time. I also thank my colleagues present in the Chamber. A number of advisors across the political spectrum have also put in considerable time and effort in a multi-partisan way to achieve the best that we could. I also thank the Minister's staff, particularly Dom Bondar. I make mention of the fact that the removal of industry brigades—the issue is just being shifted down the road a little bit until there can be further consultation—is an acknowledgement that there was no definition for those who are in the business of firefighting, either as professional firefighters or volunteers, and gives them the opportunity to talk about what would work best at the frontline. There was very serious concern that this was the first step towards privatising fire services, and those very real concerns should be addressed. As some of our fire agencies have pointed out, if there are difficulties with active members in the RFS and with protecting areas of the State then the solution is not to outsource firefighting. The solution is to utilise the resources available which includes our professional firefighters and to look at a collaborative approach. We need to focus on that because that was in the NSW Bushfire Inquiry report and its recommendations. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4856

I turn very briefly to the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee. It was a key component of our negotiations around amendments. Increasing representation on that committee and hearing a range of important voices was essential to that amendment. The membership of that committee should reflect the major stakeholders. Our 6,500 professional firefighters from Fire and Rescue, as the State's peak bushfire body, will have a voice. The committee will have representation from the Public Service Association in regards to RFS staff and National Parks crew and a representative from the volunteer body. It is important that the higher-ups in any agency listen to the boots on the ground. That is the message I have heard over and over again in the last year as I have travelled the State: Listen to the boots on the ground. Further, an important adjustment to this bill is that views will now be expressed in that committee that represent the promotion and the integrity of cultural burning and our Indigenous First Nations people will be heard. The clearing code needs to be strengthened by other Ministers. Securing a technical amendment in having written concurrence from all the other Ministers is just a form of reassurance to communities, especially those who are very worried. I understand that worry about the environmental concerns. I make note that in the interests of transparency our amendment asks for the Minister to commit to tabling a quarterly report on the status of the 76 recommendations that came out of the Bushfire Inquiry report. This is not an onerous request and it is essential. As I mentioned in this Chamber last week, the final status report to the Special Commission of Inquiry into the 2005 Waterfall Rail Accident Report was tabled only a couple of weeks ago. In line with that sort of transparency and accountability it is good to see that the Minister is now obliged to provide a progress report and a review of amendments. As the member for Blue Mountains and a proud conservationist, I am still concerned about the lack of scientific rigour in sections of the bill that look at land clearing. Many within our environment movement have pointed out that broad-scale land clearing was not within the recommendations of the inquiry. I believe that the measures to provide a disallowance regulation for the Legislative Council to have oversight over the clearing code and to bolster the voices on the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee will strengthen the voices around any kind of clearing. A rigorous check-point review process will need to be implemented and I think that actually makes it a little tougher to progress any of the land clearing agenda. I thank all of my colleagues in this Chamber who have spoken to this bill and worked with me on amendments. I thank a number of people from a range of political parties and across the environment movement, particularly the Rural Fire Service Association, the Fire Brigade Employees Union, the Public Service Association, and the many firefighters and environmentalists who reached out to me in a very short space of time to talk to me about their concerns. Sometimes it feels as though we are dealing with huge issues in this place in a miniscule amount of time—and that it is actually not enough time—but the people of New South Wales want us to act. I will finish with a point that I made on this matter in my contribution to the second reading debate. It was a point made by a very senior firefighter for whom I have the greatest respect. I think that it is important to make this point. He stated: … if the Federal Government and, for that matter, the State Governments took climate change seriously we would not be looking down a loaded double-barrelled bushfire gun. In conjunction with a committee that oversees planning for bushfire hazard reduction, acknowledging the work our firefighters do across a range of agencies, strengthening the collaborative approach, having committee voices that speak a range of views, and having a rigor in the Parliament to oversee any measures are all incredibly important things. It is also important to acknowledging the impact of climate change. I commend the amendments to the House. Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) (10:31:16): I speak to these amendments in my role as shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty and acknowledge that this is historic legislation. It is the first time that Aboriginal people will have a seat at the decision-making table for bushfire risk management in this State. The Government had, I think correctly, included someone from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council in the original bill. That was certainly appropriate and the Opposition supported that all along because of the land the council holds, which is significant in New South Wales. But we also had representations from cultural burning stakeholders on country, including traditional owners, to also have a seat at the table because of the significant landholdings they have in New South Wales. We welcome the Government's decision to support their positions on the bushfire management committees. Certainly we think that will make a difference. There has been support from both NSW Farmers and Local Government NSW for cultural burning to be implemented in the bushfire risk management planning. It was also recommendation No. 18.2 of the royal commission, which stated: Recommendation 18.2 Indigenous land and fire management and public land management Australian, state, territory and local governments should explore further opportunities to leverage Indigenous land and fire management insights, in the development, planning and execution of public land management activities. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4857

I thank the shadow Minister, and member for Blue Mountains, for her determination. I also thank Leighton Drury for his commitment and his negotiation with the crossbench members. I thank the Minister's staff for accepting this. It think this is really important. It may not seem so in the broader context of the importance of what happened 12 months ago, but certainly cultural burning gives us an opportunity to find a better way—a traditional way—to fight bushfires. I will leave it at that. However, I recognise Tara Ali, who made representations to me about these positions. She had been talking to the bushfire committee. Her organisation is over the moon that its lobbying has been accepted, and it is looking forward to working broadly with the sector to get better outcomes when it comes to bushfire management. Ms (Port Stephens) (10:33:53): I speak on the proposed amendments to the Bushfire Legislation Amendment Bill before the House. I make it clear that the New South Wales Labor Opposition has secured significant improvements to the Berejiklian Government's Bushfires Legislation Amendment Bill, which is to pass the Parliament. Because of Labor's successful amendments, the Government's proposal to facilitate privatised fire brigades has been withdrawn. Because of Labor's successful amendments, the State's Bush Fire Coordinating Committee will now include additional representatives from indigenous groups— as members have heard today—and cultural burning experts, as well as employee representatives from the Fire Brigade Employees Union, the NSW Rural Fire Services Association and the Public Service Association. Because of Labor's successful amendments, the Government will now be forced to report to Parliament every three months on the progress it has made towards the 76 recommendations of the bushfire inquiry. Because of Labor's successful amendments, the Minister must undertake a statutory review of this legislation by June next year to determine whether it is achieving its goals or whether it is being misused. Because of Labor's amendments, if the code is inadequate the Parliament can disallow it and prevent clearing. These are significant changes, and they have all been achieved by Labor from Opposition. I congratulate the shadow Minister for Emergency Services, the impressive Trish Doyle. Meanwhile, after all these improvements, The Greens last night issued a grubby media release attacking Labor. I assume they thought we would just let it slide. However, let me make it very clear: Labor is not a party built around whinging and public relations stunts. We approach legislation in this place seriously. We point out flaws, we propose amendments and we hold the Government to account. Ultimately, we seek to improve the laws of this State. That is what Labor did in this case. Thanks to the shadow Minister, we were able to do it alongside and in consultation with stakeholders who are intimately involved in these matters. Did we achieve every amendment we proposed? No, we did not. That is the unfortunate reality of not being in government: We cannot make things perfect. This is law is far from perfect. But The Greens missed out entirely, whilst Labor proposed amendments to better manage land clearing within this bill. The bill's 25-metre land clearing allowance along boundaries was not a recommendation of the bushfire inquiry, as has been stated by members in this place today. That is a complete furphy. In practice, the 25-metre rule could have been allowed to be used on both sides of the boundary to allow 50 metres of clearing. Labor proposed amendments to make sure it was only 25 metres, but the Government chose to not accept that. The Greens would like Labor to turn around, after everything else we have achieved, and vote against the entire bill. I make it very clear to the people who have listened to The Greens members and their comments: If we voted against this bill, the Government's original bill would have gone through this Parliament. That is the reality we are dealing with. Uninformed media releases from The Greens will not change that reality. Is the bill before the House today perfect? It is far from perfect. Is it better because of Labor amendments? Yes, it is. Will Labor's amendments result in a better environmental outcome than if the Government's bill had passed this Parliament without amendment? Yes, they will. I want to make that very clear in the House today. From Opposition, Labor has improved a very far from perfect bill. We will not accept The Green's misrepresentations of our position and what we have actually achieved in this House courtesy of the hard work of the shadow Minister. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr ): The question is that the Legislative Council amendments be agreed to. Motion agreed to. PUBLIC WORKS AND PROCUREMENT AMENDMENT (WORKERS COMPENSATION NOMINAL INSURER) BILL 2020 Second Reading Debate Debate resumed from 12 November 2020. Mr (Heathcote) (10:38:30): The workers compensation Nominal Insurer [NI] is the legal entity that provides workers compensation insurance with non-government employers. Section 154D of the Workers Compensation Act 1987 specifically provides that the State has no beneficial interest in these assets of Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4858

the NI, is not entitled to any of the surplus and has no liability for any deficit in the fund. The exemption of the Public Works and Procurement Act 1912 was utilised for procurements by icare for the NI that have been featured in recent media and parliamentary coverage. However, icare is subject to obligations set out in part 11 of the Public Works and Procurement [PWP] Act for procurement that is not for the Nominal Insurer [NI]. The proposed reforms will apply procurement obligations in part 11 of the PWP Act to procurement by or for the Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer. The implications of passing this bill are that that would pre-empt the outcome of the recently announced icare independent review that will consider inter alia the legislative framework of the Nominal Insurer, as well as the procurement practices of icare, including for the NI. It would create a risk to the current accounting treatment of the Nominal Insurer that could bring the Nominal Insurer within whole-of-State financial reporting. Applying Government procurement rules that are intended to achieve broader social benefits could conflict with the restriction on the Nominal Insurer funds that requires them to be solely used for the purpose of providing workers compensation insurance for employers. The Public Works and Procurement Amendment (Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer) Bill 2020 seeks to amend the legislation governing the status and operation of the Nominal Insurer. The final report of the review is due to be delivered by the end of April 2021. The terms of reference for the independent review are comprehensive and specifically include matters that are the subject of this bill. The terms of reference include a comprehensive organisational review of icare, having regard to issues recently raised in the media and in Parliament and the independent icare review. That review will cover icare's culture, governance, procurement practices, management of probity matters such as gifts, travel and conflict of interests, and the review of the Government-managed workers compensation schemes including the Nominal Insurer and the legislative framework that supports them. The review will consider the legislative and regulatory structure of the schemes to the extent they relate to the Nominal Insurer and recommendations for improvements in line with parts 1 to 3 of the terms of reference, including in relation to organisational effectiveness of icare and any amendments to the Workers Compensation Act 1987 to the extent they relate to the terms of reference. Putting to one side any merit or otherwise of the substantive changes the bill may make to the status and operation of the Nominal Insurer for the purposes of the Public Works and Procurement Act 1912, it is simply not appropriate to make a statutory change of that nature while a comprehensive independent review, which includes a statutory review, is being conducted by a learned and respected former judge. To proceed with this bill would unnecessarily muddy the waters. The Hon. Robert McDougall, QC, should be allowed to proceed with the independent review. Any recommendations for changes to the Workers Compensation Act 1987 that the independent review makes can be considered in due course after the final report of that independent review is delivered in early 2021. I oppose the bill. Ms (Newtown) (10:43:58): In reply: I thank all members who contributed to debate on The Green's Public Works and Procurement Amendment (Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer) Bill 2020. I acknowledge the comments made by the member for Ku-ring-gai, the member for Canterbury, the member for Cessnock, the member for Mulgoa, the member for Goulburn, the member for Terrigal and the member for Heathcote and thank them for participating in the debate. Unfortunately, there has been no clear indication from the Government about how we should deal with the current disaster. I acknowledge the comments made by the member for Heathcote in concluding his speech. He said that an independent review is already underway but obviously there is much more than one issue that needs to be resolved about the icare disaster. The reason for this bill was stated when the bill was received in this House and that was reiterated by my colleague Mr when he introduced the bill in the upper House. Let us be clear that this bill already has been passed by the upper House, which is why it is being considered in this House today. My colleague Mr David Shoebridge made it very clear that this legislation is urgently needed because the rorts that have happened in icare can continue to happen while the review takes place. While there is a need for an independent review of icare's completely disastrous management of the Workers Compensation Scheme—and I acknowledge that currently there is an upper House inquiry into icare as well—it is very important to remember that the issue we are dealing with in this bill is the issue of tendering. We are dealing with a loophole that exempts icare from the normal integrity rules that apply to public sector tenders. The consequences of that loophole are that there has been a misuse of immense amounts of money and a failure to care for tens of thousands of workers who either got sick or were injured on the job. I appreciate that the Government might be saying that there is already a review underway and an inquiry is also being undertaken, but the reason my colleague Mr David Shoebridge introduced this bill is the urgent need to stop the rorts right now. The member for Ku-ring-gai stated the Government's acknowledgement of the need to have a root-and-branch examination of icare, but I wonder how much of an examination is actually needed? The Four Corners program, which I appreciate was telecast a little while ago—things move quickly in politics—was Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4859

an exposé of the completely disastrous mismanagement of icare. The program revealed an $80 million wage theft from 52,000 injured workers while icare's senior executives were paid an average of $660,000. The program reported on extreme mismanagement and the complete failure of the scheme, as well as the desire to sweep all of that mismanagement under the carpet. We know that icare exists to serve the interests of injured workers but that is not happening. I note the comments made by the member for Ku-ring-gai but it is important to recognise that all the money in the fund is for injured workers and that $660,000 paid to an icare executive is not going to injured workers. The member for Ku-ring-gai said we must allow the review to do its job, and I absolutely agree. But if we have a review to examine bushfire legislation and the response to bushfires in this State, would we ask the Rural Fire Service and all the fire brigades to pause putting out fires while that review is conducted? Surely we recognise the urgent need to keep people safe and work in the interests of our communities while a review is being conducted. The type of reasoning espoused by the member for Ku-ring-gai is the Government's excuse for not supporting the bill. A review and an inquiry do not excuse the Government from failing to act. The Greens acknowledge that both a review and an inquiry are underway. However, we also acknowledge that the rorts consist of icare handing out money to the families of senior executives instead of applying those funds to assist injured workers. There is nothing to stop those rorts from continuing as I speak. Icare can exploit a loophole of not having to meet the normal standards and—although I hate using this expression—none of its conduct passes the pub test. Icare currently does not have any requirement to meet scrutiny of its tendering processes. That is why its executives can get away with handing money to mates and family members, and they can still do that. If the Treasurer is happy to oversee and be responsible for a body that continues to have the ability to rort the system unchecked, then I put him and the Government on notice. The Greens are offering the Treasurer a way out with this bill. This is a way out of being responsible for any more dodgy rorts by icare between now and the handing down of the review and the implementation of the recommendations. The Treasurer and the Liberal-Nationals Government are seeking to hide behind that review. My colleague The Greens MP David Shoebridge, who is present in the Speaker's gallery, has a good, long memory. Put down the date of 19 November 2020 in our diaries and then look at a future date when the review will recommend the changes that are in this bill and then look again at a future date when the Government finally implements those recommendations. From today until that future date—months or years down the track—when the Government finally acts, let us calculate how many rorts have taken place and how much more money, which should have been going to injured workers, has been handed over to icare executives' mates and family members. That figure will be the responsibility of the Treasurer, to his shame. I acknowledge the member for Canterbury and her colleague the Hon. in the other place who have worked closely with The Greens on this bill. I also acknowledge Unions NSW and the many advocates for injured workers. The member for Canterbury put it simply. She said if the Government rejects this bill, it is voting for the rorts to continue. It is basically saying that it is okay with the rorts continuing until some point in the future. Surely that is very concerning. Knowing what we know about the appalling tender processes and how mates and their related corporations received preferential access to icare tenders, doing nothing would be criminal. We in this Chamber are giving the Treasurer an opportunity. I note that he has not come to the Chamber or engaged with this debate. There has been discussion about this problem sitting with the Minister for Finance and Small Business, that the Treasurer does not have to worry about it and can palm it off to some unaccountable upper House MP— who used to be in this House but is now in the Legislative Council enjoying himself on the Government benches. He is hiding up there and enjoying the fact that he is the finance Minister. Then what happens? The Treasurer pretends it is not his responsibility. It is clearly the Treasurer's responsibility and his problem, and he needs to fix it. We are giving the Treasurer a way out today. It is absolutely clear this bill is needed. No-one on the other side tried to deny that change was needed; we simply heard that there is already a review. As the member for Canterbury said, if Government members vote against this bill, they are voting for the rorts to continue. So from 19 November 2020 to whenever the recommendations from the review are implemented, may all of the rorted money be on the Treasurer's head. That is money that should have been going into the hands of injured workers in this State. Instead, it has gone into the coffers of icare's wealthy executives, who are getting $660,000 salaries while injured workers are doing it tough and being treated appallingly by this system and its process. Today the Government had the chance to support The Greens bill, which came from the Legislative Council. It is clear that more can be done to stop the rorts. The Greens, and no doubt the many members who spoke in favour of the bill, offer our solidarity and support to the injured workers impacted by the rorts. The system is broken. When the Four Corners story aired many people contacted my electorate office and told us of the appalling situations that had occurred as a result of mistreatment by icare. It is supposed to support injured Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4860

workers. If someone is injured at work, it is not just their physical health that is impacted, their mental health and ability to participate freely in society also are impacted. The fact that the icare rorts were able to happen in a process that is supposed to support injured workers is yet another example of how out of touch the Liberal-Nationals Government is when it comes to caring for people. My colleague David Shoebridge is committed to caring for and being compassionate towards the people who have been impacted by the icare scheme. Those people should be front and centre of the Government's actions. Disgracefully, the Government tries to hide behind review processes and forgets that there are people involved. I commend the bill to the House and I urge members on the other side who know the impacts this is having on their communities to think hard before they vote against it and vote for the rorts to continue. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Greg Piper): The question is that this bill be now read a second time. The House divided. Ayes ...... 38 Noes ...... 46 Majority ...... 8

AYES Aitchison, J Finn, J Minns, C Bali, S Harris, D O'Neill, M Barr, C Harrison, J Park, R Butler, R Haylen, J Parker, J Car, P Hoenig, R Scully, P Catley, Y Kamper, S Smith, T Chanthivong, A Lalich, N Tesch, L Cotsis, S Leong, J Voltz, L Crakanthorp, T Lynch, P Warren, G Dalton, H McDermott, H Washington, K Dib, J McKay, J Watson, A (teller) Donato, P Mehan, D (teller) Zangari, G Doyle, T Mihailuk, T

NOES Anderson, K Griffin, J Preston, R Ayres, S Gulaptis, C Provest, G Barilaro, J Hancock, S Saunders, D Berejiklian, G Hazzard, B Sidgreaves, P Bromhead, S Henskens, A Singh, G Clancy, J Johnsen, M Smith, N Conolly, K Kean, M Speakman, M Constance, A Lee, G Stokes, R Cooke, S (teller) Lindsay, W Taylor, M Coure, M Marshall, A Toole, P Crouch, A (teller) McGirr, J Tuckerman, W Davies, T O'Dea, J Upton, G Dominello, V Pavey, M Ward, G Elliott, D Perrottet, D Williams, L Evans, L Petinos, E Williams, R Gibbons, M

PAIRS Atalla, E Roberts, A Daley, M Wilson, F Hornery, S Sidoti, J

Motion negatived. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4861

GOVERNMENT SECTOR EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT (TELEWORKING) BILL 2020 Second Reading Debate Debate resumed from 22 October 2020. Mr NATHANIEL SMITH (Wollondilly) (11:07): I contribute to debate on the private member's Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. I admit that the member for Barwon is my favourite crossbencher not just for his sartorial splendour, which has raised the standards of dress in this place, but also because he is an extremely decent human being. I would like to work with him on legislation like this in years to come— Mr : Why not start now? Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: Unfortunately, he will not get my vote today. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Greg Piper): The member for Orange will resume his seat. Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: He and I have talked about this issue quite a bit in our conversations on level 12 over the magnificent duck pancakes that he makes in his office. I represent the Government in the debate on the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. For many years, government sector staff across New South Wales have been supported to work flexibly, including remotely. In fact, my wife, who works for a Federal Government department, has been working flexibly from home in the regional town of Bowral, and it works very well. When Parliament is not sitting she generally goes into the city, but when Parliament is sitting she works from home and gets quite a lot done for the Federal Government. Mr : So you are backing the bill? Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: No, she works for the Federal Government. Nice try, member for Cessnock. The New South Wales Government Public Service Commission has developed an array of flexible arrangements that better enable New South Wales public sector employees to do their jobs flexibly, including working online from any location or teleworking. The Government's flexible working policy and the readiness to work remotely were significant factors in ensuring that the New South Wales Government could respond to the COVID-19 pandemic quickly and efficiently by transitioning the workforce to home working while maintaining service delivery and business continuity. We saw this with our own electoral officers. We had many staffers working from home and working remotely, which they did quite successfully. I know that the Parliament's IT department is bringing in new services for electoral staff and MPs to be able to work remotely much more easily than in the past. Mr Clayton Barr: So you're voting for the bill? Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: No, I am not voting for the bill. Nice try, member for Cessnock. The member is a comedian today. The New South Wales Public Service Commission has been supporting the government sector plan for a new normal as public service employees return to workplaces. The Government naturally supports the availability of employment opportunities in the New South Wales government sector in rural and regional areas, where such opportunities can be provided and where the work can be done effectively in those areas. But there is no need to amend the Government Sector Employment Act—the GSE Act—to mandate flexibility or the creation of jobs in rural and regional areas. There is also no need to amend the GSE Act to require the Public Service Commissioner to make rules under the GSE Act in relation to teleworking arrangements. There is no need for rules prohibiting employees with Sydney-based roles from teleworking from outside Sydney. These are impractical measures that would restrict essential and business-as-usual flexible working arrangements and collaboration across the government sector and more broadly. They would also impact negatively on public sector employees who work remotely but who ordinarily may commute to their places of work. The bill seeks to require the Public Service Commissioner to assess all current and future government sector roles to determine whether they are suitable for teleworking. This task is better done by individual government agencies, which are best placed to determine and implement their operational needs. The Public Service Commission, which is located in central Sydney, is really not best placed to determine the human resource requirements of regional agencies. It is also unnecessary to require the Public Service Commissioner to report annually on teleworking arrangements across government sector agencies. These measures are simply unnecessary. Information on flexible working arrangements and resources to support flexible work practices, including remote and online working arrangements, are already provided by the Public Service Commission on its website and by individual agencies to their staff. The Government will continue to support the availability of teleworking arrangements and other flexible working arrangements for public service employees in rural and regional areas. However, the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4862

Government's view is that the bill is not the most effective way to achieve those objectives. I recommend that the House oppose the bill. Ms (Swansea) (11:12:42): I lead for the Opposition in debate on the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. I make it very clear to the House that Labor supports this private member's bill, which has been brought to the House by the member for Barwon. We commend his efforts to promote good public policy that will expand opportunities for workers across New South Wales. We want to give people in regional and rural communities the chance to secure good jobs working for the State Government, regardless of where they live. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the status quo of many people's working lives. This is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity. While many people and many businesses have struggled, and continue to struggle, the pandemic has shown us different ways of working and revealed new opportunities to modernise our workplaces. With the widespread adoption of teleworking arrangements, we can see that the old city-centric ways of working are less and less relevant. For many years, Labor has criticised the O'Farrell, Baird and Berejiklian governments for their cuts to public sector jobs and for their attacks on the people who keep this State running. The bill is an opportunity to balance the ledger and restore the many hundreds of public sector jobs that have been ripped out of regional and rural communities. It is also an opportunity to make good on some of the empty rhetoric that the Government has been trading in for almost a decade. For as long as we can remember, the Liberals have been talking about a decade of decentralisation, but very little has actually come of it. In fact, they seem to think decentralisation means moving public servants all the way out to Parramatta. It shows how short-sighted and mindless the Liberals' reform agenda is. The decade of decentralisation was always more about property sell-offs in the city and a culture war against public servants rather than a real opportunity for country people to secure good jobs near their homes. Labor believes it is important to create and protect jobs in country towns because they provide a vital economic buffer for rural communities and their economies. In an economic downturn, the secure and dependable incomes of public sector workers are a vital stabilising force in local economies. A recently released report prepared by Equity Economics for the NSW Council of Social Service forecast that unemployment will peak in New South Wales at 9.5 per cent in January 2021, and many regions across the State will experience double-digit unemployment. They are the highest unemployment figures in New South Wales for a generation. The report paints a picture of how rising unemployment will impact disadvantage in communities throughout New South Wales. Already there is evidence that the pandemic and associated lockdowns have increased rates of domestic violence, mental distress and housing stress, and hurt the academic performance of disadvantaged children. Modelling suggests that disadvantage will worsen significantly when unemployment peaks shortly after Christmas, unless there is urgent to strengthen the social safety net and get people back into work. Nonetheless, the Berejiklian Government has made its stance clear: It has no intention of helping rural and regional communities by supporting a bill that would create jobs for people outside metropolitan areas. In fact, when leading for the Government in debate on the bill, the member for Vaucluse said that it is not necessary to support or facilitate government sector job opportunities in rural and regional New South Wales. I was startled to hear those words come out of the member's mouth. Apparently the Berejiklian Government thinks jobs in rural and regional New South Wales will simply take care of themselves. The member for Vaucluse pointed to the success of remote working arrangements during COVID-19 as evidence that teleworking legislation is unnecessary. First, flexible arrangements for public sector workers during COVID-19 only benefited those who already worked in the public sector and, might I say, who are primarily in Sydney. Secondly, the fact that it took a global pandemic to necessitate working-from-home arrangements at scale is exactly why we need to legislate for those conditions. Here is the key point: The pandemic has proven that workers can do their jobs effectively without being chained to a desk in an office in this city. Now we need to leverage that lesson to more fairly distribute public sector work opportunities throughout New South Wales, and that is exactly what this very sensible bill would do. While the Berejiklian Government is voting against this solution, we in the Labor Party are doing everything in our power to fight for jobs for people right across New South Wales. In October I introduced Labor's NSW Jobs First Bill 2020, which will compel State government departments to buy local and support local workers. That should be our focus; it certainly is Labor's focus. The NSW Jobs First Bill 2020 will also guarantee apprenticeships and cadetships across industry to ensure that we have the skills necessary over the long term to keep doing the work locally and to keep doing it to the highest standards. Today the Labor Party commits to supporting the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020 because we want to ensure jobs for people right across New South Wales—especially as we know that many regional and rural areas will be among the worst hit by rising unemployment resulting from the economic downturn. As shadow Minister for Rural and Regional Jobs, I commend the member for Barwon for bringing the bill to the Parliament. Labor is always happy to work with our crossbench colleagues. We like all Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4863

of them—unlike the member for Wollondilly, who cherrypicks and offends the member for Lake Macquarie, who is in the chair. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Greg Piper): The member for Wollondilly will be very careful with his comments from here on. Ms YASMIN CATLEY: We are always happy to work with crossbench colleagues on good policy, and the member for Barwon has produced just that and I thank him. The bill creates a definition in law for teleworking arrangements and compels the Public Service Commission to establish a framework for broadscale teleworking arrangements across the public sector within 12 months of its assent. The bill also compels the Public Service Commissioner to assess new and existing roles for teleworking suitability. Labor members acknowledge the importance of flexible working arrangements and we support the Public Sector Commission being empowered to expand those opportunities for government sector workers in the State. It is disappointing that the Government—especially The Nationals members, who are from the regions that we are aiming to assist—has failed to seize the moment during COVID-19 and imagine these new opportunities. For a party that has been in the news lately for its obsession with property developers' interests on the North Coast, The Nationals should instead be investigating and promoting opportunities for workers in their electorates to apply for good secure work in their local communities. The Nationals have been derelict in their duty to country communities, and this bill from the member for Barwon will deliver new and expanded opportunities to those people who have been forgotten by The Nationals who represent them. On behalf of the Opposition, I commend the bill to the House. Mr PHILIP DONATO (Orange) (11:21:01): I contribute to the debate on the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020, introduced by my Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party colleague the member for Barwon. Although it is a short, simplistic bill of only a few pages, it is indeed a momentous bill for the industrial rights of our citizens and for regional New South Wales—the likes of which we have not witnessed in decades. I commend the member for Barwon for his initiative, dedication and commitment to looking at proactive and visionary ways to encourage growth while adding to the economic prosperity of regional New South Wales. Mr : Roy wrote this. Mr PHILIP DONATO: No, he didn't write it. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is reservedly biased for the bush, and we want to see the towns and regions of rural New South Wales grow and thrive. We want to encourage people and make it as easy as possible for them to live and work in regional New South Wales. We want people to relocate to regional New South Wales because it is a great place to bring up a family, add to the local community and appreciate what a great lifestyle we share. Recently I was joined by the Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales at the opening of the new Department of Planning, Industry and Environment building in Orange, the Ian Armstrong Building, which also houses the Department of Primary Industries [DPI] and other services. The DPI is a great example of decentralisation that occurred nearly three decades ago. It was a big, bold, visionary move that has proven to be a great success story. Relocating the DPI from Sydney to Orange was fraught with resistance and opposition with naysayers claiming it would never work. Nothing could have been more wrong. The DPI in Orange now employs several hundred staff and injects approximately $200 million into the local Orange economy each year. It has been a tremendous success. This is great, but what about the other towns, especially the smaller towns of regional New South Wales? Decentralising an entire government department is not easy, and I accept that. But by encouraging telework and supporting the bill it is possible to share this prosperity across towns and communities that otherwise would not benefit—and with minimal outlay. I have listened to other members' contributions on the bill and disappointingly, but not surprisingly, the Government opposes it. That is a shame because the Government's objections are not about the merits of the bill but rather are selfish, egotistical, baseless excuses. Unfortunately, the Government cannot bring itself to support a bill that is not its own. When I tell people in the community that sad but realistic fact, they shake their heads in disbelief, and yet we wonder why there is so much disconnect and disillusionment in the community towards politicians. COVID-19, a once-in-a-century global pandemic, has tested all of us in every area of our lives. Who would have thought 12 months ago that social distancing, hand sanitiser, checking in, COVID-19 safety plans, wearing a face mask and Zoom meetings would become the new norm. Businesses and workplaces have adapted to change to keep their doors open, keep people working and keep communities going forward. Working from home has been a game changer, and COVID-19 has demonstrated the capability and the capacity of people to work Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4864

effectively, efficiently and productively from home. There is no good reason why people cannot continue to do this after COVID-19. The private sector has embraced working from home for years. A close friend of mine has been working remotely from the mid North Coast for a large financial corporation for the past decade, running and supervising projects both across the country and the planet. There is no good reason why the public sector should not embrace this opportunity too. In my electorate of Orange the majority of DPI staff have been working from home during the COVID-19 period, university lecturers at the Charles Sturt University campus in Orange have been administering to students online and remotely. Many local council staff have been working remotely from home, along with many other private businesses. It has been demonstrated that it can be done and that it is a productive, efficient and effective way for people to work. As the member for Wagga Wagga so eloquently put it, the irony is that telehealth is administered in the regions, but the Government will not mandate telework for people in regional New South Wales by supporting the bill. What are the benefits to rural and regional communities that the bill would deliver? First, it would inject significant financial investment into local communities, which would support local businesses and ultimately local jobs. It would encourage people to move, and more importantly stay, in the regions. It would go some way to reduce traffic congestion and travel time in Sydney. More importantly, it would allow people more time to spend with their families, rather than in a train or stuck in a traffic jam on the M4. It would grow local services in health, education and social services in our communities and provide other spin-off opportunities. It is no secret that the bush has done it extremely hard these past few years with the worst drought on record, then the bushfires, then COVID-19 and now an economic recession to boot. Supporting the bill would send a strong message to the people of rural and regional New South Wales. It would show that the Government is genuinely serious about supporting and growing regional communities for the future. I join my colleague and call on all MPs, but especially regional MPs, to support the bill. Their communities would benefit and they expect their interests to be put first. For those reasons, I support the bill and commend it to the House. Mr (The Entrance) (11:26:51): I support the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020, which will amend the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 to facilitate the use of teleworking arrangements for government sector employees. I commend the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and the member for Barwon for this initiative. This is a step in the right direction to improve the working lives of people in the State. One-third of the workforce of the Central Coast in my electorate of The Entrance commutes out of the area to work. Many of them catch a train from Lisarow, Narara, Niagara Park or Ourimbah early in the morning to travel to Sydney or Newcastle and come home late in the evening, or they commute on the freeways. They spend a lot of time out of the area, away from their communities and their families. They also spend money outside the area. The suburbs of Lisarow, Narara, Niagara Park and Wyoming grew off the back of people commuting to Sydney to obtain work. Many people in our area dream of working on the Central Coast. These workers have embraced the opportunity provided by the current public health orders on gathering and movement which have mandated working from home arrangements. Instead of commuter car parks at railway stations in my electorate being full to overflowing with cars in the morning, there are many fewer people commuting now. Those mainly white collar workers are working from home and loving it. They are spending more time with their families, spending more money in the area, and their working life is much improved. It is a better way to work for people in my electorate and in other regional areas like the Central Coast. Working from home should be a right, not a privilege. That is why this bill is a step in the right direction. It is disappointing that the Liberal-Nationals does not embrace the opportunities provided by this bill. It is particularly disappointing that those in The Nationals do not embrace them, given the opportunities for regional workers afforded by the ability to undertake their work from home via teleworking. All members should support the bill in this House. Labor supports the bill, I support the bill, I know my community supports this bill and I commend the bill to the House. Mrs (Murray) (11:30:00): I speak in support of my colleague, Roy Butler, the member for Barwon's bill, the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. Passing this bill would be fantastic for my electorate of Murray. It is the sort of bill the National Party would have introduced 20 years ago if those in the National Party actually thought or cared about the bush. Rural New South Wales is a great place to live but chronic underfunding of services has created many disadvantages. Many people in the electorate of Murray live hours away from their nearest hospital. We also live a long way from the most well-paid and secure jobs—that is, jobs in the government sector. The Government could ease this disadvantage with the stroke of a pen or the passing of this bill. There is no reason why people in Deniliquin, Wentworth, Barham, Griffith, Moama, Hay or Hillston should be denied access to some of the best jobs in the State. COVID-19 has shown that so much of our work can be Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4865

done remotely. If a desk job in Sydney can be done remotely, there is no reason why someone in Deniliquin should not be able to apply for it. The New South Wales Government, which talks so much about how it is an equal access employer, should be doing all it can to facilitate job access for people in remote and regional communities. Postcode discrimination is perhaps the least talked about but more prevalent form of discrimination in the State, and it is done by The Nationals. I am so glad we finally have a bill that tries to address the issue. The Nationals have done everything they can to destroy jobs in Deniliquin. Water mismanagement and corruption have eliminated jobs in rice and dairy. Forestry laws have killed jobs in timber. The Government talks big about decentralisation while centralising all the government jobs in big population centres like Wagga Wagga and Dubbo. Well, here is a chance for the Government to give back to this wonderful town, to make it easier for people in Deniliquin and Griffith to access secure government employment. This would provide a much-needed economic stimulus to the bush. It would also provide another career path for those made unemployed by COVID-19 or the New South Wales Government's border closure. Indeed, the border closure has exposed how much New South Wales bludges on Victoria. Many small towns in my electorate have so much of their lives dependant on the southern State. Under The Nationals, regional New South Wales has been stripped bare of services and infrastructure. That is why so many people live in New South Wales but work in Victoria. We need to win back jobs in our State. We need to make jobs in Sydney accessible to all. If an employer really wants to hire the best person for the job, we cannot keep discriminating against the millions of people who happen to live outside our capital city. Women in rural areas have been hard hit by COVID-19 and the border closure, with so many jobs in hospitality, retail, pubs and clubs wiped out. This bill will provide a pathway back to employment for those women. Will The Nationals, which calls itself "the only party for regional Australia", support a bill that greatly benefits the regions? Time will tell. Unlike the Nats, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party will always be biased for the bush, which is why I commend this wonderful bill to the House. Ms (Gosford) (11:33:55): I support the member for Barwon's Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020 and acknowledge his commitment to his community and his vision for releasing his and other communities from the tyranny of "presenteeism" in the workplace. The public sector deserves all the support we can possibly give it. Giving public sector workers pay cuts at this crucial time when they have been out there fighting the good fight for our communities across regional New South Wales is an absolute smack in the face. If the Government votes against this bill it will be so disappointing for so many people in my community but also for the opportunities of regional and rural New South Wales to benefit from these great incomes. The member for Wagga Wagga speaks of the professionals who have been relocated from the city into his community whose partners would like to continue working in the public sector but that is not available. There are so many reasons to support this bill. From my community on the Central Coast 44,000 locals leave every single day to head down to Sydney, historically, to do their work outside our beautiful community so they can put food on their families' tables. The consequences of this for our families is really challenging. We moved to the coast to enjoy the beautiful quality of life, the pace of life and for our beautiful environment. For those commuters who often in winter leave home in the dark and arrive home after dark, they do not get to enjoy these things until the weekend. This bill is an opportunity for a change in the life we live in regional and rural New South Wales and yet the Government will deny our people this opportunity. People in my community make a sacrifice each day so that their loved ones can enjoy our beautiful place. They cram onto trains; they sit in traffic. Long-term commuters have been shown to have a 40 per cent increase in the risk of divorce. It reduces time for parenting and household responsibilities. And, unfortunately, commuters have lower local engagement, which impacts on the young generation that has moved to the coast and lowers community cohesion. Commuters shop where they work, reducing spending with local businesses. Commuters also often perform below capability because of the increased stress that is caused by commuting. COVID-19 has given us few gifts but one of the gifts it has given our community is for the people mandated to stay local and work local. It is another way. This flexible work, allowing us to work from home, has changed so much and has released commuters from that four- to six-hour commitment every week. Working from home will not kill productivity and it definitely will not sink the economy in regional and rural New South Wales. We know that 150,000 government workers have worked remotely, and we know that it works. In many cases we know that it has improved local and regional communities, and we know this bill will continue to do that across New South Wales. At the moment our 44,000 commuters historically have spent about $400,000 a day in Sydney, which is a massive amount of money taken out of our community on the Central Coast and put into the big city. I understand that city businesses are suffering but our high streets are booming. It is beautiful to see that our youth employment rate, which often falls faster and lower than the Hunter, has fallen less than the Hunter because a lot of our Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4866

hospitality facilities are open as commuters are working in their local communities and shopping locally. For our commuters it is a whole day a week that they now do not have to spend commuting. That is a gift that the Government should consider giving back to our people. It is hugely important not just for people living in rural and regional areas but also because commuters are being robbed of at least a day a week in order to travel to the city to work. During COVID-19 I saw so many people with happy faces on the Woy Woy waterfront. I usually see the same people at the train station from 4.30 a.m. with grim faces, heads down, burdened by the commute. People are out walking their dogs. The dogs on the Central Coast are happier than ever before. People are enjoying a much better quality of life, photographing the sunrise and spending time with a new camera instead of being trapped in the commute. It should be mandated that our community can live like this, with full hearts every day, and be able to drop their kids to school before work and pick them up after work. During COVID-19 and beyond I have been doing quite an extensive survey of my commuters. Of the respondents, 84 per cent were able to continue to work from home for at least part of the week after COVID-19, and only 12 per cent wanted to go back to the office full-time. Of respondents, 79 per cent were satisfied with working from home, compared to 61 per cent working from the office; and 55 per cent said working from home has had a positive impact on their productivity—of course it does when you are sleeping better, eating better, exercising and spending time with your family. Only 10 per cent identified a negative impact on productivity. The challenges identified were feelings of social isolation, difficulty achieving work-life balance, and communication with colleagues. Around the world research is showing that good managers are giving the appropriate support to overcome some of these challenges and support people working from home. I am pleased that the positives outweigh the negatives. When asked what changes were needed for respondents to continue working from home, some 35 per cent said that no changes were needed for them to be able to continue working more flexibly. Some 17 per cent identified they would struggle to get permission from their employer. It is sad to hear that some of the government departments hoof their people back down on the train or back down the expressway to be tortured in the workplace when, in the minds of those people, they were achieving exactly the same goals at home. It was also nice to speak to Deloitte Australia, which has done a similar survey. I thank Kate Higgins and her team for their ongoing research to do with technology and the support for teleworkers, but also the research indicating that women in the workplace appreciate the flexibility and the work-life balance. I also thank the Public Service Association [PSA], which has done a similar survey. I have known for a long time that people with disabilities really do not want to do the commute to the city but they are very effective employees. They love the flexibility of some sort of work-life balance different to the historical rush to the city to sit in rows. What we also need as part of this conversation—and the research is showing this—are co-working hubs, so that regional communities can have the collaboration we need. It was interesting to hear from Anna Bligh yesterday at the parliamentary leaders' event about the examples from the National Australia Bank. I say good on the National Australia Bank, which has kept regional banks open in the morning but then allowed teleworking opportunities from home. Hearing the story of a lady in regional Queensland running teleworking from her home locked in that there is a huge difference in opportunities for people with family responsibilities, women and people with disabilities to have alternatively shaped work. This bill encourages the Government to get on board. I thank Colin Taylor from Common on West and I also thank the Foundry at Erina, which are providing that work from home space on the Central Coast with a co-working hub. I look forward to being more collaborative with those groups to work out what emphasis we need to push onto the heads of Government to open up this space to be more effective. I also acknowledge that Telstra has a regional work hub at Erina, where many employees go to work on a hot desk instead of doing the four-hour return trip to Sydney. It is sad that the Government shut down its co-working space Go Gosford for employees working on the coast. I would like to see more such spaces, even though the Government will vote down this bill. We have to change this horrific view of work that says that bums on seats mean productivity. We have to treat people as adults, recognise that they are human beings and adapt to the changes COVID has forced on us not just here in New South Wales but around the world. The over-reliance on presenteeism in our workplaces means that people have to congregate around already congested and unhealthy CBDs and employment hubs, putting crazy pressure on infrastructure. I am sure our community would much rather invest in green spaces, parks and recreational opportunities than in another skyscraper car park tower towards the city. Governments need to look at this as policy opportunities, not take the same old view as we saw from some Ministers a few weeks ago when they demanded that public servants return to their desks in Parramatta. Once again, I thank the PSA for its research supporting flexible work and the importance of different shaped workplaces, especially for women. I thank Deloitte Australia for the work it continues to do on this subject Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4867

and the information it continues to provide to the Government that this is a future option and needs to be considered. I also thank the member for Barwon for bringing this bill to the House. I send a shout-out to the public sector employees across New South Wales. Labor and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party will continue to fight for the opportunity for them to live outside the city centre. We will continue to fight beyond the Sydney-centric focus of the Liberal-Nationals Government in this State. Ms TRISH DOYLE (Blue Mountains) (11:43:38): I make a brief contribution to debate on the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. It is undeniable that the pandemic has turned our lives upside down. Impacts across the globe have been vast, prompting the world to look at life in a very different way, be it socially, economically or emotionally. Albert Einstein once said, "In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity"—and the member for Barwon has found it. Whilst this pandemic has tested our resilience, and still tests our resilience every day, we are slowly coming up for air and now find an opportunity to analyse this past year, to take stock, to look at what worked and what did not. The teleworking bill calls on the need to facilitate the use of flexible working arrangements for government sector employees. In my electorate of the Blue Mountains, the opportunity to work from home has had what I believe to be an incredibly positive effect on our community. Teleworking on the whole was introduced as a short-term solution, but as the months roll by it is becoming more firmly entrenched in communities across our State. The effects of this move to working from home need to be properly acknowledged and considered and ultimately introduced as an integral part of our framework for employment. Moving to a flexible workforce has been a necessity during COVID-19, but the pandemic only accelerated what we have believed for a long time: flexibility is a natural extension of the acceptance of diversity. Balancing the freedom that a flexible workforce affords with the necessity for improved productivity brings challenges, but none that is insurmountable. In simplified terms, the advantages of working from home include improved work-life balance; reduction in stress due to daily commutes—and I can tell members they are long commutes from the Blue Mountains— reduced turnover of staff and the retention of valuable employees; the support of the collaboration of employees residing in different locations; improved inclusivity; and the potential for positive environmental impacts. Recent research has shown that Australians like working from home. They are more likely to stay longer with their employer should their desire for flexible working arrangements be fulfilled. This is particularly true of women with children. On that note, I emphasise this for all of the working mothers across this State: The contribution women make to the workforce is vital but their ability to participate is often limited by their parenting responsibilities. A move to teleworking creates an increased capacity for mothers to work, reducing barriers to their participation as well as going some way towards addressing the clear gender gap at the highest levels of the New South Wales public sector. We still live in a culture that sees the disproportionate allocation of domestic and caring roles allocated to women. Personally I would like to see this change, but in the current absence of that change a move to support teleworking arrangements would surely see a reduction in the disadvantages faced by women in the workforce. This excellent bill is not just about creating jobs in our remote communities but also addresses the need for an examination of gender employment inequities in New South Wales. NSW Labor cares about jobs. NSW Labor understands the need for flexibility, particularly at a time like this, to keep workers happy. Happy workers are productive workers. Happy workers stay in their jobs and willingly contribute to their roles and the companies or departments for which they work. This bill is a win-win for the employees of this State and for the economy of this State. A move to the teleworking space for the government sector is a move towards the long-term sustainability of a productive, economically resilient workforce. This is not rocket science. If we allow a greater capacity for employment for those in rural and regional New South Wales we inevitably enhance the prospects for those regions. The economy improves and the community's ability to be self-sustaining improves markedly. Surely those two factors alone illustrate why Labor wholeheartedly supports this bill. The New South Wales Government has an appalling track record of cutting public sector jobs. Members have seen it with cuts to NSW National Parks and Wildlife staff and massive cuts to our emergency services personnel. This Government has knowingly contributed to the demise of employment in regional locations through mergers and its love of privatisation. This is not only problematic in terms of rural and regional economies and community wellbeing but in the cases of NSW National Parks and Wildlife and the emergency services it is dangerous. While today members speak more specifically to teleworking, it must be said that the overarching issue of government employment in varying sectors in rural and regional New South Wales is crucial both to our prosperity and our safety. There is no longer any room for this urban-priority thinking. It is outdated, limiting and discriminatory and it is not progressive. It does not serve the people of this State. We do not know what the coming years will bring. If we have learnt nothing else this year, we have learnt that we need to keep an open mind and be prepared for anything. One of the best ways to do that is to create a Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4868

foundation that supports workers and creates a space where they feel valued, not just financially but for the needs that exist in their lives outside of their employment. Working remotely allows those living in rural and regional communities to pursue more diverse careers. Teleworking enables the embracing of inclusion, the hiring of people from all walks of life and people from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Allowing employees to work from home supports diversity, community and family. Teleworking also creates an opportunity for those who may otherwise struggle to find employment on site, such as people with a disability or caregivers who rely on flexible work schedules so that they can remain in paid employment. The bill calls on the Government to do better and to get its head out of the sand. Conservative thinking has no place here. The future of work in regional Australia is not without its challenges but that should not be a reason for failing to tackle the issue head-on. Well-designed, targeted and systematic responses to the generation of employment, particularly through teleworking, will lead to significant multifaceted improvements in our regional communities. I thank and, with deepest respect, pay tribute to the member for Barwon for introducing such an excellent bill. Labor stands with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party on teleworking. I commend the bill to the House. Mr ROY BUTLER (Barwon) (11:50:24): In reply: I thank members representing the electorates of Vaucluse, Wagga Wagga, Coffs Harbour, Orange, Murray, Wollondilly, The Entrance, Gosford and Blue Mountains who contributed to debate on the Government Sector Employment Amendment (Teleworking) Bill 2020. Many other members wanted to speak but time got the better of us. Today members of this House have a chance to support regionalisation of public service positions for the benefit of regional New South Wales and to assure that the best possible applicants win jobs in the public service, no matter where in the State they are. The bill will ensure that everyone in New South Wales, including residents of regional and rural communities, has access to job opportunities. The intent of this bill is to help people to relocate to the bush and retain their existing job or seek new employment opportunities while working remotely. This will help to transform regional economies and provide new opportunities for people in regional New South Wales. The bill provides the New South Wales Government with the opportunity to lead the way in embracing changes to the way public servants work instead of lagging behind workplace trends. COVID-19 has introduced radical changes to the way we work. Suddenly employers have had to re-evaluate the traditional methods of working following the need to practise social distancing. We embrace this change. We must capitalise on this innovation as remote work has been accepted, proven successful and normalised during this time. With millions of people currently working from home and public service productivity the same or better, we are witnessing the biggest change to how we work since the industrial revolution. The question I direct to the Government is: Do you want to be ahead of that, or behind it? Think about that. Since I introduced this bill more and more private sector employers have moved towards telework. I am not a smart man and I am not a political genius, but a curious thing happened after I started talking publicly about teleworking. It seems that the policy advisers in the Federal National Party thought I was onto a good thing. Decentralisation Minister launched an ambitious plan to encourage city workers to work remotely from the bush. That sounds like teleworking. It sounds like what this bill will achieve. I wonder when he will bring legislation to the Federal Parliament. I know it would have the support of the Deputy Prime Minister, The Nationals member for Riverina, Michael McCormack, because I asked him at the Bush Summit in Cooma held in August, "Does regional Australia deserve the benefits that can be brought about by wide-scale adoption of teleworking?" In response, he said that for over 10 years they tracked those people who have moved to a regional centre, either through a decentralisation program of government or indeed having moved there through private enterprise, and found that three regional districts—not necessarily just the regional hubs, but regional districts—benefited to the tune of $110,000 for each family. Members representing the electorates of Wagga Wagga, Murray, Gosford, The Entrance and Blue Mountains all touched on the benefits of flexible working. Those members understand the social and economic benefits of this bill to communities in regional New South Wales. It was disappointing for the communities represented by the member for Coffs Harbour, who I think is a good member and the only Nationals member to contribute to debate on the bill. His constituents could take up telework if this bill is passed. His electorate could reap some of the enormous benefits that could be gained from supporting this bill, but The Nationals said they will stick to the well-trodden path of following the Liberal Party and not voting for legislation that will benefit regional New South Wales. Is the New South Wales National Party out of step with its Federal counterpart? How can we have the Federal Leader of the party and the member for Calare publicly supporting teleworking to benefit regional areas and some State Nationals speaking against the same thing? The Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales—a good man—is The Nationals representative in this place of the large rural and regional electorate of Northern Tablelands. He supports the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4869

concept of flexible working arrangements. Earlier this month he stated on the record in Orange that if COVID has taught us anything, it is that you can do all sorts of work from anywhere is New South Wales—not just in the capital cities. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member for Barwon will be heard in silence. Mr ROY BUTLER: So what is it, Nationals? Are you for job creation and population in the bush? Are you for the empowerment of regional communities? Frankly, I am tired of the "say one thing in the bush but do another thing here". That is tripe; it is rubbish. This is a good bill for regional New South Wales—for The Nationals' communities. Do not disappoint me again today by toeing the city-centric Government line. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic—the unprecedented, once-in-a-lifetime generational event that rocked the foundations of the way we live—the Government asked our public servants to work from home. They packed themselves up and kept the State running from home offices. And they did not just phone it in either. The data from the public service backs me up on this point. On that topic, I take a moment to thank the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney for directing me to the recent NSW Remote Working Insights report, which is a fantastic document. The report "unpacks our experience during COVID-19 and what it means for the future of work." It states: COVID-19 forced a huge experiment in our ability to work remotely. By May 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 46 per cent of NSW workers were working from home. The report goes on to state that 53 per cent of workers in New South Wales claim to be more productive when working remotely compared with working at their employer's workplace. People also ranked having a better work-life balance as the single best aspect of remote work, with the reduced size of road traffic and public transport networks also benefiting those who do not or cannot work remotely. Of those who were working from home, on average 13 per cent reported more productivity each hour compared with working on site. This proves the point that I made in my second reading speech: Teleworking works. The Government tells us it does in the Government's own report. That is more reason to support my bill, is it not? The member for Wollondilly suggested that agencies are best placed to decide suitable positions for teleworking. I totally agree with him, and the best-placed person to lead that is the Public Service Commissioner. I will refer to a recent report by the Productivity Commission a number of times because it has a great deal of valuable information that the Government supports—and is exactly what this bill is aimed at achieving. I refer to the contributions to this debate by the member for Vaucluse and the member for Wollondilly, who expressed their opposition for the bill, citing that flexible working arrangements are already implemented across the New South Wales Government sector and there is no need for legislative amendment or any changes to that. I worked for the public sector in three agencies for 20 years. I can attest to the fact that over the past 20 years public sector jobs have been lost due to centralisation and that enduring flexible working arrangements —a term I use advisedly, and I am in no way referring to staying home to wait for a fridge to be delivered or to care for a sick kid—are as rare as hen's teeth. With no clear guidance, individual staff are being left to negotiate with managers who may or may not personally agree with the concept of remote work. Now, despite what Government members have said, their data and their reports do not lie. The NSW Remote Working Insights report states: Before 2020, New South Wales was using less than half of its potential to work remotely. We estimate that while 44% of all work tasks in the NSW economy can be done remotely, only 18% were done remotely in 2019. Is 18 per cent really success? The bill sends a clear signal to the Public Service Commissioner and agencies that remote work is totally acceptable and in no way imposes restrictions on either party in engaging the best person for the job. Merit selection is what the public service is built on. Government sector jobs have been the subject of flexible work arrangements since 2016 and, as is rightly said, having the right management and leadership culture throughout organisations can support flexible work as a legitimate choice. Why oppose the bill if in recent months and during the COVID-19 pandemic employee recruitments were conducted virtually? Did this prevent or negatively impact the ability of government agencies to recruit and manage staff as appropriate for the needs of New South Wales communities and the operational needs of the New South Wales public sector? I thank the member for Wagga Wagga for his contribution. He is 100 per cent right in his statements: The key to rural and regional communities are its people and having jobs for those people. I thank him for pointing out the hypocrisy—that the Government wholeheartedly supports telework for doctors. Now I do not know about you, but it does not make sense to me that the Government would not be enthusiastic about a person in an administration position working remotely. If we want to attract professionals like doctors, lawyers, teachers and nurses to regional areas, work for their spouses is a major factor in getting them there. As a doctor, the member for Wagga Wagga should know that. This bill will help professionals get to the bush. The bill does not stop people from working in an office or government service building. On the contrary, it will provide the Public Service Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4870

Commissioner with a merit-based approach to recruitment to ensure we get the best public value possible by getting the best person in the State for a job, no matter where they are. The Premier has listed having a world-class public service as one of her priorities. The priority is to implement best-practice productivity and digital capability in the New South Wales public sector and drive public sector diversity by 2025. The policy sets targets of having 50 per cent of senior leadership roles held by women, increasing the number of Aboriginal people in senior leadership roles and ensuring 5.6 per cent of government sector roles are held by people with a disability. I commend the Premier for having that priority. It is well documented that there are many barriers to participation in the workforce for people in those demographics, especially people with a disability, as the member for Gosford spoke about very well. The bill would remove hurdles and provide more opportunity for people in those demographics. It could help the Premier achieve her priority. In September of this year, the New South Wales union movement urged the State Government to move public service jobs to the regions to help generate jobs and cash flow. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced our working practices to catch up to technology, which has led to time and cost savings, greater productivity and increased flexibility for New South Wales workers and businesses. The fact is that the biggest benefit of introducing telework in regional and rural New South Wales is the improvement in the lives of people in our communities. That is done by creating jobs, injecting cash into local communities and businesses, increasing consumer spending and ultimately growing the much-needed population and local services in our communities. I urge every member to support regional New South Wales and support this bill. I commend the bill to the House. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that this bill be now read a second time. The House divided. Ayes ...... 41 Noes ...... 43 Majority ...... 2

AYES Aitchison, J Finn, J Minns, C Bali, S Greenwich, A O'Neill, M Barr, C Harris, D Park, R Butler, R Harrison, J Parker, J Car, P Haylen, J Piper, G Catley, Y Hoenig, R Scully, P Chanthivong, A Kamper, S Smith, T Cotsis, S Lalich, N Tesch, L Crakanthorp, T Leong, J Voltz, L Daley, M Lynch, P Warren, G Dalton, H McDermott, H Washington, K Dib, J McGirr, J Watson, A (teller) Donato, P McKay, J Zangari, G Doyle, T Mehan, D (teller)

NOES Anderson, K Gibbons, M Preston, R Ayres, S Griffin, J Provest, G Barilaro, J Gulaptis, C Saunders, D Berejiklian, G Hancock, S Sidgreaves, P Bromhead, S Henskens, A Singh, G Clancy, J Johnsen, M Smith, N Conolly, K Kean, M Speakman, M Constance, A Lee, G Stokes, R Cooke, S (teller) Lindsay, W Taylor, M Coure, M Marshall, A Toole, P Crouch, A (teller) O'Dea, J Tuckerman, W Davies, T Pavey, M Upton, G Dominello, V Perrottet, D Ward, G Elliott, D Petinos, E Williams, R Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4871

NOES Evans, L

PAIRS Atalla, E Roberts, A Hornery, S Sidoti, J Mihailuk, T Hazzard, B Saffin, J Wilson, F

Motion negatived. Motions SURF LIFE SAVING CLUBS Debate resumed from 12 November 2020. Mr JAMES GRIFFIN (Manly) (12:11): The importance of surf life saving clubs in our communities is no secret to many members in this place, and I am privileged that a number of outstanding clubs are situated in my electorate of Manly. They do a lot of heavy lifting to make sure that swimmers at our beaches are safe. They also do a variety of other work that comes with running a surf life saving club or being a member of the lifesaving movement. The northern beaches has some wonderful surf clubs that are well known around Australia and the world. I particularly recognise Manly Life Saving Club because I became a nipper there and was also chosen as the junior club captain. I made a number of rescues on the beach during the summers, and thankfully nobody ever drowned. Surf life saving clubs in our communities do fantastic work, and it is important to recognise the work of volunteers. The clubs are community hubs, and they bring people together and teach them new skills. They also help people learn the value of volunteering in order to give back to their local communities. I also recognise North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club, which this Government has proudly supported through funding to improve its infrastructure and facilities. On 26 September the Minister for Police and Emergency Services joined me in Manly at the Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club for this season's raising of the flags ceremony. It marked the start of what will be a difficult season for the surf lifesaving movement due to the increased number of people wanting to enjoy local beaches because they cannot travel farther afield. I am sure that the challenges that COVID-19 has brought will be managed by our surf lifesavers admirably over the course of the summer. Further north there is the wonderful Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, the South Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club and North Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club. Unfortunately, due to COVID the North Curl Curl Club was not able to run its annual 3 Points Challenge, which is a fantastic run-swim-run event that takes competitors from Curl Curl to Freshwater and back. I have participated a couple of times, and it proved to be great fun and a good test of fitness. Surf life saving clubs do phenomenal work in our communities, and this Government has invested in them up and down the coast through either built infrastructure or direct funding to members to ensure that they are looked after and can continue to play their vital role in our communities. I thank those volunteers who have put so much energy, time and effort into the surf lifesaving movement. I commend the motion to the House. Ms YASMIN CATLEY (Swansea) (12:15:15): I support the motion moved by the member for Clarence. There are four surf clubs in the electorate of Swansea. That number may soon rise to five if the recent electoral redistribution plans are confirmed, which would give me the opportunity to represent another wonderful organisation. All eastern seaboard MPs have a lot to do with surf life saving clubs because they are quintessentially Australian. When the yellow and red flags rise every year, we know that summer is coming and we can go to the beach where club volunteers will keep us safe. As deputy co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Surf Life Saving I can say that we unequivocally support surf lifesavers in New South Wales because they do such an amazing job keeping our beaches incredibly safe. I know that all members think the same, and I am very pleased that is the case. COVID-19 has brought its challenges to our surf lifesaving organisations, and an initiative my club at Caves Beach has introduced in response has been the separation of the nippers program. Those aged four to seven now attend on Friday evenings and the other age groups have their sessions on Sunday mornings. Many parents have told me that this set-up is working really well. In fact, my little nieces and nephews are amongst those nippers, and it has been fantastic to see them continue to learn about critical surf safety measures and the healthy competition that the surf lifesaving movement promotes all in a COVID safe way. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4872

Carnivals are still taking place in the Hunter region, and on Saturday 7 November the second round of the Newcastle Permanent Series took place at Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club. I do not normally like to single out individuals, but earlier in the week I was looking at the under-14 results and I noticed the name of someone I know very well: Sam Murphy. Sam is a third generation surf lifesaver whose grandfather Vince is my father's best mate and whose dad, Adam, is an Australian champion. Sam not only won the under-14 male surf race but also did extremely well to be part of the club's surf teams. This spanning of the generations epitomises what is fantastic about surf lifesaving in this State. When you go to the beach you will always see grandads watching their grandkids participating in competition. In March next year the NSW Surf Life Saving Championships will be held at Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club, and I look forward to welcoming all members to the event. The competition will be managed in a COVID safe way, and both Lake Macquarie City Council and Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club are working hard to ensure that this wonderful event goes ahead. The championships will be run under a different format but nonetheless will showcase our State's magnificent athletes and highlight the solidarity, great respect and love we all have for surf lifesaving in New South Wales. I look forward to seeing all members there in March. Mr (Terrigal) (12:19:27): By leave: It is a pleasure to speak in support of the motion moved by the member for Clarence. As we have heard, members are on a unity ticket when it comes to surf lifesaving in New South Wales. I know that many Government members will want to contribute to today's discussion. I am a very proud co-deputy chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Surf Life Saving, and it is great to see surf lifesaving go from strength to strength—especially on the Central Coast, where we have some truly wonderful clubs. There are 14 clubs across the Central Coast, seven of which are in my electorate of Terrigal. I believe, next to the member for Pittwater, I represent the second largest number of surf life saving clubs in any electorate. I am very proud to be able to support all of them. It has been an incredible year for surf lifesaving because of COVID, but that has not stopped the New South Wales Government supporting clubs on the Central Coast. In February I confirmed that we were providing $177,000 to the Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club to finally finish off its clubhouse. In 2009 the local council ran out of money and was not able to finish the job. The State Government stepped up and provided that additional funding. President Adam Phillips and the rest of the Wamberal club's 570-plus members are delighted because they have one of the world's best surf life saving clubs. I encourage everyone to pop in to Wamberal, have a feed and look at the incredible vista. In March quite a lot of funding was going to other surf life saving clubs. Most recently, $200,000 went towards local surf club facilities. The Wamberal club received another $90,000 for construction of a storage room. Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club received $59,818 to refurbish the male and female amenities and toilets. I have been to Avoca Beach and the guys there have done a fantastic job. Gary and the rest of the team now have top-quality change rooms, which are also incredibly safe for users. The Entrance Surf Club picked up $57,000 for the installation of solar panels and refurbishment of amenities. In addition, two clubs on the Central Coast, Avoca Beach and North Entrance, are doing the drone rollout. Surf clubs on the Central Coast are receiving funding to continue upgrading their facilities. In addition, we are putting in over 100,000 hours of volunteer time on Central Coast beaches to help keep people safe—and not just our people but also visitors to the Central Coast. The Central Coast is a hotspot for tourism destinations, and this Christmas will be no different. We know that thousands of surf lifesaving volunteers from one end of the coast to the other will be out there keeping visitors and locals alike safe on our beaches. To show what a great job the Central Coast surf life saving clubs do, for more than four years now we have not had a drowning on a patrolled beach. That is because of the incredible work of our volunteers and the fantastic education program that Surf Life Saving Central Coast runs in our schools, which provides safe messaging around rip awareness and being safe in the water. The combination of education and incredible volunteer surf lifesaving services from one end of the coast to the other is keeping people safe almost all year round. It is always a pleasure to support our surf life saving clubs on the Central Coast. I am also a proud member of the MacMasters Beach Surf Life Saving Club and patron of the Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club. It is always a pleasure to attend the clubs and support the great work they do all along the Central Coast in keeping swimmers safe. I congratulate the member for Clarence on his excellent motion. Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (12:23:43): By leave: What an amazing joy it is to speak in support of the motion of the member for Clarence about surf life saving clubs in New South Wales. There are only two surf life saving clubs in my electorate, and they are the best surf life saving clubs in all of New South Wales. In fact, this year Umina Surf Life Saving Club only just missed out to a small club in Tasmania for the national Club of the Year award. What a champion club it is. Ocean Beach and Umina are fantastic clubs and it is a privilege to be able to support them with funding from Community Building Partnership grants. They are part of our amazing Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4873

community—and don't they do that job well. I absolutely love the cross-section of ages of the people who participate in surf life saving clubs and the important mentoring that many senior members of surf life saving clubs provide to young people coming through. A lot of young people on the Central Coast miss out because mum and dad are doing lots of commuting or miss out for various family reasons, but there are people in our clubs who really take those young people under their wing and look after them—not only locally, but also in the competitions that they go to around the State and beyond. The leadership is absolutely outstanding in keeping our community safe. I am proud to be part of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Surf Life Saving. It was an absolute thrill to see one of our young people, 2019 Youth Lifesaver of the Year Kai Darwin, join us at Parliament House. It gives us great pride. Kai is not only a superb lifesaver; he also does incredible hours volunteering and is a very important role model to the young nippers coming through. It was with great joy that I was there to open the season, with lots of young rookies coming through our surf clubs this year. As the member for Terrigal said, surf clubs are so important not just for keeping locals safe, but also for keeping visitors safe. Our surf clubs are really warm and inviting places for lots of people who move to the Central Coast and then slide into the surf club community as a point of friendship and contact with our community. I thank the Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club, which provided me that opportunity. When I first moved to the coast I joined the surf club and, golly, it was a fantastic, warm and inviting place for me. Surf clubs are also a really important voice for looking after the fragile surf environment of our coast. The surf clubs watch our sands come and go. I commend the Save Our Sands Alliance, which is part of the Wamberal surf club. The group is looking after the future of Wamberal and Terrigal beaches, and is a voice for those very important public spaces moving forward. I point out the importance of Ocean Beach and Umina Beach cafes and the work they do to provide the food that fuels our surf lifesavers, and the work that our surf lifesavers do in those cafes. I give credit to Louise Lambeth, a local author who has written an amazing book called Annie and the Waves. The book is providing education across surf life saving clubs on the New South Wales coast and around Australia about surf lifesaving and the role it plays in protecting lives, especially the lives of our multicultural community members. I congratulate Gary Mensforth on his Surf Life Saving Central Coast life membership: 40 years of commitment from a guy who got his Bronze Medal—what an important step that was in people's lives—45 years ago and the work he has put into our community. I thank the member for Clarence for bringing this motion to the House. I commend the motion. Mr LEE EVANS (Heathcote) (12:27:31): By leave: I can only concur with every comment that members have made about surf lifesaving. Surf lifesaving is very important in my electorate because of its rugged coastline. I have several clubs in my electorate: Garie, Era, Burning Palms, Helensburgh-Stanwell Park—that is where CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW Steven Pearce is a member—Coalcliff and Scarborough Wombarra. I also mention Thirroul and Bulli. Bulli was recently named the Community Club of the Year in the Illawarra and Surf Life Saving Illawarra Club of the Year, plus Patrolling Club of the Year. I return to the surf life saving clubs within the Royal National Park and I note that the member for Castle Hill is in the Chamber. As Minister, he provided satellite telephones to the clubs at Garie, Era and Burning Palms because they do not have mobile phone connections. That has saved lives. The outlay of several thousand dollars has saved so much angst for surf lifesavers because they can communicate directly with helicopters and the like during a rescue. I also have in my electorate the well-known Figure Eight Pools and Wedding Cake Rock. Because of its fame, Wedding Cake Rock has become one of the biggest issues for Surf Life Saving in my electorate. Patrols spend hours saving people from these tourist meccas. Plus there are obviously helicopter evacuations. Unfortunately people are a bit like lemmings when it comes to hanging off Wedding Cake Rock. A fence with razor wire has been erected to stop people climbing over and hanging off the rock. There have been several deaths in the past couple of years where people have done that and obviously slipped. Unfortunately the recovery is left up to Surf Life Saving. They have to pick up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff when these people have lost their lives through misadventure. Surf Life Saving as an organisation provides a fantastic pastime and a lifestyle for many people. Previously, when my electorate included the Bulli area, 32,000 people out of a population of 58,000, were directly or indirectly connected with Surf Life Saving, which is a major impact. Those people are all lifestyle driven. Saving lives and the training regime involved to assist with that is their main concern. Together with the member for Keira and the member for Wollongong we have decided in the Illawarra area that we will provide $10,000 each year to Surf Life Saving clubs to spend on equipment. That allows them to purchase extra motors, inflatable rescue boats and all-terrain vehicles every couple of years. On top of what they receive from the Surf Life Saving fund, it makes it a lot easier for them. I thank the member for Clarence for moving the motion. It is a good motion and I completely agree with it. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4874

Mr (Newcastle) (12:31:47): By leave: I thank the member for Clarence for moving the motion. I note the amendment moved by the member for Wyong and I will speak to that. Surf lifesavers across New South Wales do a fantastic job. There is absolutely no doubt about that. I acknowledge the President of the Board of Surf Life Saving New South Wales, George Shales, and the CEO, Steven Pearce. Recently Steven was in my electorate to meet with me and Rhonda and Henry Scruton, who do a magnificent job in Hunter Surf Life Saving. I pay tribute to them and recognise the wonderful leadership roles they have played across decades in Hunter Surf Life Saving. They have been outstanding. I also thank Steven for his strong advocacy now and moving forward. The second point in the amendment congratulates Evans Head and Yamba Surf Life Saving clubs on their efforts protecting lives. I certainly agree with that. I also congratulate the six Surf Life Saving clubs in Newcastle. They do an outstanding job in our district and beyond. They do very well when they compete at the State and national level. We breed them very well and very strong in our part of Australia. The third point in the amendment calls on the Government to increase funding for all surf clubs in New South Wales. That is one of the most significant points in the motion. Stockton Surf Life Saving Club is on Stockton Beach, which most members know is at grave risk of erosion. The surf club, while it has been fortified to an extent by the council, which has done a fantastic job, it is at risk and we need to put some money into it if we are going to continue to keep it there. Nobbys Surf Life Saving Club is in a beautiful historic building. It could also do with some money to help with its plans. It has a very large membership and it struggles to maintain members in the club. Newcastle Surf Life Saving Club is one of the oldest in the State. It is in a very difficult position geographically in amongst the hill, so to speak. It needs a complete new club. Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club was very lucky to receive a bequest. It has completed one-third of a renovation but the other large building is falling down. If you get in underneath and have a look, water is coming through power circuits and it is being held up by a lot of wooden reinforcing. Dixon Park Surf Life Saving Club is also struggling, although it has had a recent refurbishment. Merewether Surf Life Saving Club has a plan for a new surf club as well. We are desperate for some money. I often provide Community Building Partnership grants to my surf clubs, but they are a drop in the ocean when it comes to funding in terms of the capital investment that is needed. It is more important than ever that the State Government focuses on surf lifesavers and the magnificent job that they do and back it up with some funds to make sure they have the facilities to continue to save people's lives. Mr (Tweed) (12:35:59): By leave: I support the motion moved by the member for Clarence and note the amendment moved by the member for Wyong, which I agree with. Members on both sides have mentioned that surf clubs do an amazing job. I am blessed in that I have been to the clubs at Evans Head and Yamba. They are great clubs with great volunteers. In my electorate I have the Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club, the Cabarita Beach Surf Life Saving Club and the Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club, which is based in Kingscliff. They win championships. Many members have attended the raising of the flags ceremonies and are aware of their great efforts. Steve Pearce is a regular visitor and quite supportive. Over the past few years the clubs in my electorate have received close to $500,000, which they have put to valued use. I often think with the Community Building Partnership program that for every dollar the Government gives them, they turn it into $3 or $4 in some way. They are quite magical at doing that and they are trying to become more self-sufficient. Surf lifesaving has come a long way since I was a nipper a while ago at Wanda. Only a few years have passed! Now there are inflatable rescue boats, jetskis and drones. In our neck of the woods, unfortunately we have lost a few people with shark attacks and drownings, so we have technology in drones, smart drum lines and listening posts. The amount of training to become a certified drone operator is amazing, particularly for young members of the surf club. Mr David Harris: They are 10 grand each. Mr GEOFF PROVEST: Yes, they are quite expensive. It is concerning that there have been reports that some of the drones deteriorate in the saltwater atmosphere, so their longevity is not great. An important aspect to remember is that during the terrible bushfires on the South Coast, to the best of my knowledge every surf club became an evacuation centre and fed and looked after people on the beaches. In my neck of the woods we did not have a bushfire but occasionally we get a thing called a flood, and the reverse happens. The surf clubs become an evacuation point and they use their skills in rough water with their jetskis. They do more than just save people on the beach. They are the hub of the community. I have lost track of the number of wakes, community functions and presentation nights I have attended at my surf clubs. It behoves members on both sides to do as much as we can to support them, because without them our beaches would be terrible places. Finally, the Indigenous people in my area talk about the legend of Juraki. Juraki Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4875

was a young, fit Indigenous fellow who used sit on a headland long before surf clubs ever came into existence. The Elders have told me one of his jobs was when the silly white men got into trouble in the surf he would swim out and rescue them and bring them back to shore. They claim that he was the first lifesaver from the First People in Australia. The Juraki Surfing Event is named after him. God bless you, Juraki. I hope all lifesavers have a happy and safe Christmas. Ms (Vaucluse) (12:40:20): By leave: I speak in support of this motion. I thank the member for Clarence for moving this important motion that unites both sides of the House. Our surf lifesaving volunteers are incredible community heroes who go above and beyond to keep our community safe in and out of the water. I have two surf life saving clubs on our world-famous Bondi Beach. It has been a difficult year for all community organisations. Both those clubs, North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club and Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, were at the forefront of our COVID-19 lockdown on that fateful day in March when the Government shut down the beach one Saturday. That shutdown brought additional pressures to my surf life saving clubs' already busy responsibilities. I am very proud to have been able to assist both those surf life saving clubs over the years. In 2011, just after the State election when this Government took power, I helped North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club with a $100,000 grant to build a new state-of-the-art clubhouse. It has an amazing design—its shape replicates the pattern of waves and the white tiles reflect the colour of the sky and water as it changes during the day. It is really quite beautiful. In 2018 I was able to secure a $500,000 grant for an Advanced Response Lifesaving Facility, which will relocate the club's essential lifesaving equipment for quicker response times. It will be officially opened later this month, which is really exciting. My other wonderful club, the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club, has received smaller grants. It is located in a Waverley Council facility, which will be renovated soon. The club will receive a $5,000 travel subsidy for its junior athletes to attend the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, a $5,000 grant for surf sports equipment and $2,545 for a new surf ski for female ski paddlers. Bondi Beach is famous, but it was also the site of a major tragedy—in fact, the deadliest ever mass surf rescue. Back in 1938 tens of thousands of beachgoers were enjoying a very hot day at Bondi Beach when three huge, successive waves swept 250 swimmers out to sea. Several lifesavers nearly drowned as they were pulled under the sea by those they were trying to rescue, weighed down by their fully kitted out swim equipment and materials. The task was made more difficult because they were also weighed down by their woollen swimsuits. It was good to be taken back in history to see how, over time, both my surf life saving clubs have had such a strong dedication to saving lives. In February 2018 both surf clubs came together for a re-enactment of what they call "Black Sunday" on its eightieth anniversary. We honoured those who died. People came from across Australia because Bondi Beach is iconic and we paid tribute to the lifesavers who helped save lives. I acknowledge the leadership of North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club: President Andrew Christopher, Michael Boland, Karen Stott, Danny Ekin, Eloise Starr and John Clothier. At Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club I acknowledge President Brent Jackson, Jacob Waks, Dori Miller, Damon Somerfield, Brett Pattinson, Garret O'Connor, Thomas Wetula, Narelle Moore and Amber Jones. They are an amazing group of people, and I help them where I can. I join all members of this House to salute our surf lifesaver volunteers. Mr CHRISTOPHER GULAPTIS (Clarence) (12:44:18): In reply: I thank members representing the electorates of Myall Lakes, Tweed, Vaucluse, Wyong, Gosford, Heathcote, Newcastle, Manly, Swansea and Blue Mountains for their contributions to this debate. I am sure they are just as proud of their beautiful beaches and their lifesavers as I am of mine. I am not sure about beaches in the Blue Mountains, but I recognise that the member for Blue Mountains is the shadow Minister for Emergency Services and values the contributions of our lifesavers on our beaches. I acknowledge the amendment moved by the member for Wyong, which I will not oppose. We all want to see an increase in support for our volunteers and particularly for that most iconic Australian, the beach lifesaver. In the Clarence electorate there are the surf clubs of Evans Head and Yamba, and at the southern end of my electorate is the Minnie Water-Wooli Surf Life Saving Club, which is just as important as the other two. Minnie Water and Wooli are beautiful beach communities that are inundated with tourists and beachgoers during the summer holidays. New South Wales has the best beaches in the world but nature and the sea are dangerous and we cannot take them for granted. The role our surf lifesavers play in our beachside communities cannot be understated. They save lives, teach health and fitness and are great community ambassadors. That is why support from the Government is vital to upgrade facilities, help stage events and promote their valuable work. Our surf clubs occupy some of the best real estate in our beautiful State. Clubhouses on the beach need constant maintenance and upgrading. Many surf clubs have restaurants and cafes and their venues are used not only by beachgoers but also by the broader community for fine dining, celebrations for birthdays and weddings or just to chill out by the beach. I have enjoyed some beautiful meals at The Sandbar Restaurant in Evans Head and at other times have had a burger for lunch at the Sandpit Cafe. It is beautiful on the beach when you do not Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4876

have to fight for a piece of sand to sit on. The beach just seems endless. Dare I say, it is quite the opposite of Byron Bay, where space on the beach is at a premium and there is no sand any way. I have also enjoyed attending weddings and functions at the Yamba Surf Life Saving Club on the beautiful Main Beach. The beach house is right on the sand and looks out at the ocean. When there is a king tide the waves sometimes reach the edge of the club. A while back I got into trouble when I made some comments about the upgrade to the Reflections Holiday Park in Evans Head. The cabin upgrades were absolutely superb and first class. I suggested that Evans would become the new Byron Bay, which went down like a lead balloon with some of the locals. They do not want their secret getting out—Evans Head is paradise. In conclusion, I thank our volunteer surf lifesavers. My message to the New South Wales Government is: Keep supporting them because their work is invaluable and they are worthy Australian icons. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Lee Evans): The question is that the amendment of the member for Wyong be agreed to. Amendment agreed to. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Lee Evans): The question is that the motion as amended be agreed to. Motion as amended agreed to. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY Ms (Shellharbour) (12:50:22): I move: That this House: (1) Calls on the Government to introduce the same head injury protocols throughout the public health system that apply in the case of head injuries in sport. (2) Calls on the Government to ensure victims of domestic violence with head injuries are afforded the same treatment protocols as are available to sports participants in public hospitals. (3) Notes over 40 per cent of women experiencing family and domestic violence have an acquired brain injury. It is no secret that victims of family and domestic violence have mostly acquired brain injury without even knowing it. They present to emergency departments, if they feel safe enough to do so, but in most cases they are not treated for their facial injuries in relation to brain injuries. It is well documented that Nick Rushworth, executive officer of Brain Injury Australia, has been a champion in pushing this cause. Through many of my discussions with people with acquired brain injuries, particularly women, I have learned that they do not even know they are suffering from a brain injury. When they do finally seek assistance from their GP and their brain injury is discovered, it is very hard to treat. It is a lifelong, permanent injury. In the first instance, the problem we have is that these injuries are not being picked up. If you are a sportsman and you are knocked unconscious during a game there are instant and immediate protocols put in place to ensure that a scan is provided—that is the case throughout New South Wales. However, if you are a victim of family and domestic violence and have facial injuries you do not get the same treatment. This is where the problem lies. For adult and child victims this hampers their recovery and future wellbeing, and for perpetrators of brain injury it hampers their capacity to change. For the community, the costs associated with policing, hospitalisation and rehabilitation, the increased need for supports—such as income, housing, education and parenting—and lost productivity and increased disability are all higher when brain injury is associated with family violence. The Victorian Government funded research into the prevalence of acquired brain injuries among victims and perpetrators of family violence. This is the first evidence-based study of acquired brain injury and family violence in Australia. This research project identified a strong association between brain injury and family violence and the significant gaps in service responses, ranging from lack of screening for brain injury through to inadequate opportunities for effective rehabilitation, recovery and support. The research combined available evidence with stakeholder knowledge. In 2018 Brain Injury Australia released the first study of its kind in Australia looking at the prevalence of brain injury in victims of domestic violence. Some important statistics came out of this study. The study found that that 40 per cent of victims of family violence who attended Victorian hospitals over a 10-year period sustained a brain injury. The study found that 31 per cent of family violence cases, or 5,007, were children under the age of 15. We are not just talking about women; we are talking about children under the age of 15. I think we can do better. The study also found that 25 per cent of those victims, or 1,252, had sustained a brain injury. A literature review also provided evidence that brain injuries were seldom diagnosed in female victims of intimate partner violence, despite the fact that more than 80 per cent of those who attended hospital had facial injuries. Members can imagine a woman turning up to an emergency department with obvious facial injuries but Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4877

she does not get a brain scan. It just does not make any sense. Nick Rushworth said the result was "all tip and no iceberg", and I agree with him. He stated: What it didn't capture was the number of brain injuries sustained by women and children in the community that would not have gone anywhere near a hospital setting. He goes on to say that "in each and every context" of women and children presenting for domestic and family violence services and support more questions need to be asked. He states: They should be asked a couple of key questions for the purposes of further testing assessment and specialist referral. Mr Rushworth said much more understanding was required about head trauma. He continued: The public awareness about brain injury as a result of sporting activity concussions is incredibly high … But the awareness about the potential for brain injury for domestic and family violence is equally low. In New South Wales there are no mandatory protocols when a person reports to the emergency department. I call on the Government and the health Minister—we have had conversations about this and I must say that he is very sympathetic—to support this motion so we can ensure that, at a minimum, we are screening these women and their children for brain injuries due to family and domestic violence. It is a health issue. I urge all members opposite to support this motion so that we can further this cause and ensure the protocols are put in place in every single public hospital in New South Wales, and that those people are treated the same as if they were on a football field, a rugby union field or a netball court. Mr MARK TAYLOR (Seven Hills) (12:57:22): I commence by recognising the member for Shellharbour and her advocacy in the domestic violence space. She is certainly a passionate advocate, and she has moved a very sensible motion in the House today. It deals with a very important matter. Obviously domestic violence is an important issue, and brain injury as a result of domestic violence is one of the most serious aspects of it. In my younger years I was a police officer in western Sydney. I have sat in hospitals, spoken to victims of domestic violence and taken their statements. So from a personal experience this motion rings true. Members on this side of the Chamber support the motion moved by the member for Shellharbour. Everyone in New South Wales has a right to live free from violence and fear. NSW Health recognises the harmful effects of domestic and family violence and all other forms of violence, abuse and neglect on those victims. NSW Health has committed to preventing and responding to domestic and family violence, and supporting victim survivors to rebuild their safety and their wellbeing. Head and brain injury are some of the many health impacts that may be experienced by victims of domestic and family violence. A recent study by Brain Injury Australia found that 40 per cent of victims of family violence attending Victorian hospitals between July 2006 and June 2016 sustained a brain injury. All men and women presenting to public hospitals or other NSW Health facilities with acute head injury receive treatment informed by the same clinical practice guidelines whether the injury occurred playing sport or was sustained in the context of domestic violence. Local protocols are also developed in some settings to support implementation of clinical practice guidelines. There are separate clinical practice guidelines for infants and children in recognition of their developmental differences to adults. The response for both adults and children, no matter how a head injury occurs, includes initial assessment to decide whether the injury is classified as severe, moderate or mild, which will determine the necessary treatment. Treatment may or may not include a brain scan, depending on clinical assessment. Brain scans are provided when medically recommended but are not routine, due to risks related to radiation exposure. Health impacts of head injury can range from none or minimal impact to a variety of physical, cognitive and behavioural deficits. Some deficits may resolve with treatment and time, such as short-term vision disturbance, and some may be quite serious and permanent, such as paralysis or chronic pain. The primary challenges in providing timely health care to people experiencing domestic and family violence relate to access rather than to treatment protocols. While the same treatment protocols apply across all patient groups, there are significant barriers for people experiencing domestic and family violence to get to hospital and receive the treatment they need. Some key barriers to seeking help for victims of domestic and family violence include fear of the perpetrator and the escalation of violence, shame and fear of losing their children. This contrasts with patients presenting for treatment of acute head injury sustained while playing sport. Patients with sporting injuries are usually able to provide the clear and timely information that is needed to NSW Health about the nature of the injury, including when and exactly how it occurred. This assists medical staff when making the assessment about the severity of the injury. The injury is also likely to have been witnessed and observed by spectators and other players on the field, providing staff with additional information to support the assessment and treatment of the injury. For people who experience head injury due to domestic violence, it may be much harder for the victim survivors to seek support Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4878

and access treatment for the injury. Further barriers that domestic violence victim survivors may face to having head injuries identified and treated include being prevented from leaving home and attending the hospital, leading to delayed presentation until it is safe to do so; attending the hospital with the perpetrator and being prevented from clearly disclosing when and how the injury occurred; experiencing an ongoing pattern of violence and repeated injury, making it harder to provide information about specific assaults; and a lack of public awareness that repeated head injuries due to domestic violence can place victims at risk of brain injury. These challenges may prevent a full and timely disclosure of head injury by a victim and may create additional barriers to receiving comprehensive health responses for the brain injury. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of domestic and family violence in Australia. The necessary restrictions on movement during the pandemic may have further exacerbated the complexity and severity of domestic violence experienced particularly by women and their children across the nation. NSW Health is engaged in a comprehensive program of work to address those barriers. In addition to medical responses to head and other injuries, NSW Health has an important role to play in identifying domestic violence, improving victims' safety and assisting recovery from trauma. This includes working with victims and partner agencies to assess risk and respond to serious threats to victims' safety. For example, non-fatal strangulation, in addition to being a potential cause of head injury, is a known high-risk indicator of severe or lethal violence particularly by men against women in intimate partner relationships. In one in four intimate partner homicides in New South Wales that occurred in the context of domestic violence between 10 March 2008 and 30 June 2014, there were indications that the abuser strangled the victim prior to the fatal assault. NSW Health is working to enhance the public health system's capacity to provide trauma-informed, integrated responses to domestic and family violence, and intersecting forms of violence, abuse and neglect. I commend the member for Shellharbour for moving this very important motion. Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (13:04:15): I thank the member for Shellharbour for moving this very important motion, which presents a commonsense approach to the treatment of head injuries in cases of domestic violence. Head injuries are some of the most dangerous and sickening injuries that can occur. The true impacts can be hard to spot initially but have large, long-term and devastating implications. We know a lot about head knocks, their relationship to traumatic brain injuries and how to treat them properly and effectively. The science is unquestioned and is improving every year, but we are simply not applying it to every area where it is needed. The lack of protocol around head knocks caused by domestic violence is a blinding omission and completely unforgivable. But, thankfully, it can be solved. In comparison to the inaction of this Government, many Australian sports have introduced, and have long-existing concussion management guidelines to combat the issue and to protect sports players, especially in male-dominated contact sports like the Australian Football League [AFL], rugby union and rugby league where concussions are prevalent. Methods to deal with, prevent and treat concussions are continuously being updated and researched to deal with the issue. In 2015 Cricket Australia updated its protocols. In 2013 the AFL introduced the concussion substitute and in 2012 the National Rugby League [NRL] released a four-step set of guidelines to protect against the impact of concussions. Psychiatrists and psychologists in Australia have long warned about the devastating and long-term consequences of brain trauma for domestic and family violence victims, but so far the New South Wales Government has failed to take action. We know that domestic violence victims and survivors commonly suffer repeated blows to the head and strangulation—trauma that has lasting effects—and those facts are clearly recognised by advocates, healthcare providers, domestic violence liaison [DVL] officers and professionals who work in this field day in and day out. In 2018 Brain Injury Australia released the first study of its kind in Australia looking at the prevalence of brain injury in victims of domestic violence. It found that 40 per cent of victims of family violence who attended Victorian hospitals over a 10-year period had sustained a brain injury. The study found that 31 per cent of family violence cases were children under the age of 15 and 25 per cent of those victims sustained a brain injury. For too long this Government has failed to act to protect domestic violence victims in New South Wales, who overwhelmingly are women. While male-dominated sports in particular are leading the way, our Government time and time again sits on its hands and lags behind on critical policy that overwhelmingly relates to women. Shame! This State should be leading on this policy, not lagging. The motion should be supported by all who wish to make a real dent in the abhorrent impact that domestic violence has on so many women in this State. The solution is common sense and can be put in place almost immediately. The New South Wales Government can and should introduce specific domestic violence concussion protocols by the end of the year. Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie) (13:07:42): I join the member for Seven Hills in both acknowledging and commending the member for Shellharbour for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. She is always very passionate, genuine and sincere when it comes to issues relating to domestic violence. I think all members appreciate the opportunity to speak about issues relating to domestic violence in our Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4879

community. Domestic and family violence is an urgent public health issue that has multiple and serious health impacts. Nobody in this House would disagree with that. According to the Personal Safety Survey, one in four women and one in 13 men in Australia have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner since the age of 15. For Australian women aged 25 to 44, intimate partner violence is the third-highest risk factor contributing to the burden of disease. Child abuse and neglect and illicit drug use were ranked one and two respectively. Mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders and depression, are the largest contributor to this burden of disease, followed by suicide and self-inflicted injuries. As these are women's core parenting years, effective health interventions that focus on safety and recovery can reduce the exposure of children to intimate partner violence and consequently reduce the risk of long-term harm to health, development and wellbeing. In addition to the considerable evidence of the impact of intimate partner violence on women's health, the accompanying social impacts, such as social isolation and housing and income insecurity, affect the quality of women's lives. NSW Health recognises the highly adverse impacts of domestic and family violence and is committed to working with partner agencies to improve victim safety and promote recovery from trauma. NSW Health services are often an early point of contact for victims of domestic and family violence. For some women experiencing domestic violence, a health service may be the one place she is able to access and may provide an opportunity for disclosure in a safe environment. While each presentation is an opportunity for health workers to identify domestic violence and respond, victims can experience barriers to accessing support. In recognition of the barriers to disclosure, NSW Health conducts routine domestic violence screening with women in particular health settings where rates are known to be high. As part of the routine screening program, health workers promote awareness of the health impacts of domestic violence, ask questions about women's safety in relationships and, importantly, the safety of their children and provide support and referral information. Since 2004 NSW Health has been undertaking routine screening for women accessing maternity and child and family health services. Routine screening is also undertaken with women 16 years and over who are accessing mental health and/or alcohol and other drug services. In addition, NSW Health is progressing the Domestic Violence Screening and Response in Emergency Departments pilot project. The project offers the widest scale of domestic violence screening of its kind in Australian emergency departments, with women entering six selected emergency departments to be routinely screened for domestic violence. Routine screening can help to reduce the severity and impacts of domestic violence through early identification and intervention; address barriers to help-seeking behaviour by women who are experiencing domestic violence; and identify and increase understanding of the nature of domestic violence and available supports, even if the woman is not ready to disclose. Along with the routine screening of women in targeted health settings, NSW Health policy and workforce development provides clear guidance to all health workers on direct questions to ask when domestic violence is suspected, and safe and supportive responses to disclosures. Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect) (13:11:43): I support the motion that has been moved by the member for Shellharbour. Public awareness regarding brain injury as a result of sporting activity concussions is high but brain injury occurring due to family and domestic violence is not and it needs to be recognised and acted upon. In 2018 Brain Injury Australia released shocking data from research which analysed the prevalence of brain injuries in victims and survivors of domestic violence. The member for Shellharbour, the member for Seven Hills and the member for Coogee have already discussed the data from Brain Injury Australia. One of the results is that 40 per cent of victims of domestic and family violence who attended hospitals in Victoria over a 10-year period sustained brain injuries. As reported by Brain Injury Australia, 1,800 hospital presentations in Victoria each year are only the "tip of the iceberg", as 26,000 cases are also referred to specialist family violence services and 37,000 intervention orders are sought in the Magistrate's Court and the Children's Court. The effects from a brain injury are long lasting. Apart from the ongoing fear, anxiety, emotional upheaval and shame that victims are forced to accept from their abusers, 15 per cent of brain injury victims also suffer ongoing symptoms for three months, according to Associate Professor Steven Faux, a brain rehabilitation specialist at St Vincent's Hospital. I suggest that those ongoing symptoms would last for years, if not a lifetime, depending on the seriousness of the brain injury. Those numbers are horrific, yet they do not include victims who have remained silent, not reported the abuse and have gone through their trauma isolated and alone. Nick Rushworth, chief executive officer of Brain Injury Australia, says that those figures do not include the number of women and children who did not visit a hospital setting. Many victims feel ashamed, blame themselves and often do not come forward. I am afraid that our community would see much higher numbers if that were not the case. The domestic violence laws in New South Wales need to be stern, robust and clear. We must have zero tolerance for domestic and family violence and we must have laws that assist women and children in the aftermath of domestic and family violence incidents. Currently, New South Wales has no mandatory Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4880

protocol in its public health system to address head injuries that present to emergency departments as a result of family and domestic violence. That means victims who report a head injury are not required to undertake mandatory brain scans, unlike sporting athletes. We need to do everything in our power to protect those impacted by domestic and family violence. Those women are our mothers, grandmothers, daughters, granddaughters, friends and colleagues. It is not enough to have legislation that only criminalises the perpetrators of domestic violence. We must also have protocols in the New South Wales public and private health systems to provide victims of domestic and family violence with access to medical assistance and services and recognise the effects of injuries committed by their perpetrator, including the significant impact of brain injuries. The New South Wales Government must act quickly; it must act now. There is no time for delay on this issue. I join my colleague Anna Watson in calling on the New South Wales Government to stand with our domestic and family violence victims and survivors and introduce a concussion protocol to the New South Wales health system. Let us introduce a protocol that is similar to the one for sportspeople. Let us introduce a protocol that victims of family and domestic violence truly deserve. Mr (Coffs Harbour) (13:15:50): I commend the member for Shellharbour for bringing the motion to the House. I suffered a traumatic head injury a number of years ago and spent many days in hospital with a hilarious case of amnesia. As has been highlighted by previous speakers, domestic and family violence has a profound impact on the safety, health and wellbeing of victims and families. Health impacts are not only injury related, they can be physical, emotional and psychological and can continue well after the violence has ended. Those adverse health impacts are demonstrated through higher rates of health care used by women who experience either physical or non-physical intimate partner violence compared to women who do not experience intimate partner violence. Health and wellbeing impacts are cumulative and may get incrementally worse for victims who have experienced multiple forms of violence, abuse and neglect. They can either co-occur or occur at different stages across a victim's lifetime. There is extensive evidence demonstrating that domestic and family violence, sexual assault and child abuse and neglect often overlap within families and that victimisation is rarely experienced as a single incident. All forms of child abuse and neglect can co-occur with domestic violence. The strong intersection between those forms of interpersonal violence has also been highlighted in Brain Injury Australia's recent study. It found that children under the age of 15 accounted for 31 per cent of all family violence victims presenting to Victorian hospitals during a 10-year period. Of those children, a quarter had sustained a brain injury. That evidence, along with Government reforms like the Domestic and Family Violence Blueprint for Reform and the Government's response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, is the key driver underpinning the Violence, Abuse and Neglect Redesign Program. A key component of the program is the Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect Framework. That framework is designed to strengthen NSW Health's response to people and families who have experienced violence, abuse and neglect. The framework is being implemented in two overlapping phases to recognise that the priorities for the health system will be determined by local needs across the State. The first phase will focus on NSW Health violence, abuse and neglect services. NSW Health delivers a wide range of specialist violence, abuse and neglect [VAN] services which help minimise the impact of trauma, support patient recovery and promote long-term health and wellbeing. VAN services form part of a continuum of care offered by the public health system to prevent violence and reduce potential long-term adverse impacts on individuals and families. NSW Health's VAN services play a critical role in assisting inter-agency partners to promote safety and justice outcomes for victims and the community, including in the areas of child protection, sexual assault, domestic and family violence, historical trauma and abuse, and children with problematic or harmful sexual behaviours. The second phase of the Integrated Prevention and Response to Violence, Abuse and Neglect Framework will focus on the development and delivery of integrated responses to violence, abuse and neglect across the whole NSW Health system, including priority health areas such as mental health, alcohol and other drugs, maternity, child and family health. Phase two will also include action to strengthen integrated responses with partner agencies and services. That includes building on existing inter-agency collaborations and projects already underway, including NSW Health's continued contribution to key inter-agency responses, such as Safer Pathway. NSW Health acknowledges the trauma suffered by those who experience violence and the many actions victim-survivors take to protect themselves and their loved ones from harm. The role of the health system and of the program of work underway is to partner with victim-survivors, establish and maintain safety, and assist victim-survivors and their families on their journey towards recovery. Ms ANNA WATSON (Shellharbour) (13:19:41): In reply: I thank the member for Seven Hills, the member for Coogee, the member for Prospect, the member for Port Macquarie and the member for Coffs Harbour for their very thoughtful, considered and well-informed contributions to the debate. Illawarra-based psychiatrist Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4881

Dr Karen Williams is an incredibly smart and intelligent woman who works with victims of family and domestic violence every day. Close to two months ago we had a Zoom meeting with the New South Wales Attorney General in which Dr Williams expressed at length what she felt were the best solutions and outlined the protocols that hospitals in New South Wales needed to adopt, including a concussion protocol for family and domestic violence situations. The Attorney General thanked us for our time and said that he would seek advice on the issue and get back to us, but we are still waiting on his response and we have now waited long enough. It is time that the Attorney General, and the Minister for Health and Medical Research adopted a set of protocols for brain injuries as a result of family and domestic violence. The time for talking is over. Advocates, psychiatrists and those in the health sector know that this must be done and it must be done now. This issue does not need legislation; it just needs a set of protocols for family and domestic violence victims and their children that are the same as, or similar to, acquired brain injury protocols for sports players. Dr Karen Williams said: When a sports player suffers a head injury there is a precise protocol to follow, but that is not happening to victims of family and domestic violence. She also said: … we need a protocol that identifies a woman that presents with an unexplained head injury, or an injury that may potentially have been caused by a partner, so she can be asked questions and provided treatment for a potential brain trauma. Does that not make sense? Is that not the sensible path down which we need to go? It seems clear to me and the member for Prospect that that is the case. I am sure that Government members will agree and realise that this is the way to go. I call on the Attorney General to advise us on the outcome of his investigations and tell us what he is going to do about this. The Government needs to act now, and this should be something very simple for both the Attorney General and the Minister for Health and Medical Research to do. Sally Stevenson from the Illawarra Women's Health Centre agrees. She is helping me to lobby for funding for a trauma recovery centre in Shellharbour, and I thank the health Minister for the $50,000 grant provided to subsidise a business case study for the project. If successful, this centre will be an example for every hospital in New South Wales of the services needed to treat and deal with family and domestic violence victims. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Lee Evans): The question is that the motion be agreed to. Motion agreed to. 24-HOUR ECONOMY STRATEGY Mr JAMES GRIFFIN (Manly) (13:24:23): I move: That this House: (1) Acknowledges the announcement of the Government's 24-hour Economy Strategy. (2) Acknowledges the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the tourism, hospitality and the arts sectors hard, and this strategy sets out a pathway to activate homegrown events that create safe opportunities for people to enjoy across the Greater Sydney Region. (3) Notes the strategy is designed to grow and support jobs in hospitality, tourism, retail and the arts. (4) Recognises the efforts of the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney; the Treasurer; their respective offices; the Hon. Natalie Ward, MLC; and agencies that developed the strategy. I am very keen to bring this motion to the attention of the House, and with very good reason. On 15 September the Minister for Customer Service launched the 24-Hour Economy Strategy for Greater Sydney, which represents the culmination of a lot of hard work, effort and energy from people within Government, many stakeholders across the vibrant night-time economy and the arts, entertainment and hospitality sectors. The strategy comprises 39 actions across five pillars that support more integrated planning and place making, encourages the diversification of night-time activities, nurtures industry and cultural development, explores ways to enhance mobility and improve connectivity, changes Sydney's night-time narrative to boost local engagement, attracts outside visitation and encourages healthy and respectful behaviours. In addition, what is clear when reading this strategy is it will also create jobs, foster the arts and culture, and cement Sydney's status as Australia's only truly global city. It presents a road map for recovery through growth for some of the State's businesses hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, A phased implementation will be delivered by a collaborative governance framework to set out the strategy that will ultimately be presided over by the new role of Coordinator General. The strategy goes above and beyond looking at music—although that has been a keen focus of the work that has taken place—to activate the night-time economy and support businesses across Sydney. It has created a neon grid that highlights the significant opportunities a 24-hour economy would present not only in the CBD, but also throughout greater Sydney in, pleasingly for me, places like Manly. This will bring financial benefits and jobs to different areas of Sydney. The Manly area has great potential in this Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4882

respect. It has already evolved over the course of many years from what was unfortunately a very violent and difficult place to be after midnight into a vibrant night-time economy through the voluntary Manly Liquor Accord and great work between the police and local pubs and clubs. The strategy also promotes opportunities for businesses in the arts and hospitality sectors across New South Wales. It actions a lot of the findings of the Joint Select Committee on Sydney's Night Time Economy, the Minister and various agencies throughout New South Wales. The strategy builds upon the September Summer Summit, from which an outdoor dining task force was established to increase the number of venues with enhanced alfresco dining for a wide range of performances. The Government has done a terrific amount of work developing the Sydney 24-Hour Economy Strategy, which sets out a detailed action plan as to how we will measure success and ultimately turn around some of the more challenging times that this city's night-time economy has experienced. It also shines a light on the significant economic investment and jobs that a buzzing and proactive night-time economy generates. The strategy sets the foundations for invigorating the night-time economy and strikes the right balance between the safety that we need and the safety that we deserve. It is true that this Government has gone above and beyond in setting the scene for a post-COVID recovery for entertainment, hospitality and dining venues. I am incredibly excited about that, which is why I have moved this motion in the House. Wherever people live in New South Wales, they will reap the benefits of the Sydney 24-Hour Economy Strategy as they go out and enjoy a newly reinvigorated and vibrant nightlife that will exist in all parts of New South Wales, and particularly in the Sydney CBD. Ms (Canterbury) (13:30:41): I speak to the motion moved by the member for Manly. I acknowledge that the Government announced its 24-Hour Economy Strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic in the past few months but I take exception to a comment of the member. Particularly in the past few weeks of the parliamentary sittings, the Hon. John Graham, who is the Labor shadow Minister for Music and the Night Time Economy, has been doing an enormous amount of work. Over the past three to four years he has been speaking with stakeholders and, together with many stakeholders, running the Labor Loves Live Music campaign. It has been a very difficult time for the night-time economy, particularly since 2014, for a range of reasons which have been ventilated in this place. As we speak, the Parliamentary Friends of Music are outside supporting the Ausmusic T-Shirt Day, which is a very important cause supporting artists and cultural performers, who have particularly suffered this year. Thousands of hospitality workers, musicians, bars, clubs, pubs, event venues and event management companies have done it really tough. Having spoken to many of them as the shadow Minister responsible for this area, I know that some businesses have lost 80 per cent to 90 per cent of their turnover. It has been very difficult for them. I acknowledge the work that our shadow Minister has done and I also acknowledge Minister Ayres, Minister Dominello and the Treasurer with respect to the 24-Hour Economy Strategy. The strategy has been passed, which is fantastic; we want to see it in practice. Having talked to some of the stakeholders, this puts New South Wales on par with best practice. It puts us at number one in terms of what we can do to enhance our vibrancy, particularly leading into and over summer. The alfresco innovation is thinking outside the square. The Manly electorate is visited by many tourists; a lot of people from my community go to Manly. Other members are saying to Sydneysiders when they are planning their staycation itinerary, "Come to my electorate". Come to Campsie or Earlwood or south-west Sydney and enjoy what we have to offer. I am pushing for my council to look at how to utilise our local squares to bring in musicians. Many members here represent multicultural communities. A lot of festivals have had to be cancelled, particularly on weekends. The Assistant Speaker is nodding in agreement; in his electorate a lot of events have been cancelled or postponed because of COVID-19. That means that many musicians from multicultural backgrounds have suffered because they have not had an opportunity to play. Many of them rely on performing. It is very important that we all follow the rules. We are all being very positive and encouraging of our communities. Councils should consider how important tourism will be and how important it is to encourage everyone to spend in hospitality. I acknowledge our musicians from multicultural backgrounds. With Mr Assistant Speaker's indulgence, if I could demonstrate— Mr Geoff Provest: You're not going to sing? Ms SOPHIE COTSIS: I will not sing and I will not play because I am crap at both. I seek leave to show members the instrument I have. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Yes. Ms SOPHIE COTSIS: The bouzouki, as many people would know, is played in Greek bands. Many performers, whether they are of Arabic, Asian or Greek background, are suffering. Performers who play instruments like the bouzouki or the pipes or who dance are suffering. They are all suffering. I acknowledge the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4883

member for Manly for moving this motion. We are all working together to make sure that over summer we will be able to see live bands perform. I encourage everyone who can to contribute to Ausmusic T-Shirt Day. It is very important that we support our performers. The member for Tweed is nodding; he understands. We should encourage people to visit rural and regional communities in particular because those communities are suffering. We want to see people playing their musical instruments and dancing. I encourage our communities to get out there, spend money and enjoy themselves. I urge Government agencies with responsibility for implementing the new Act to look at it in a coordinated way. Sydney is a global city and we need to demonstrate to the rest of the world that New South Wales is the best place to be. This summer, let us showcase our amazing performers and entertainers and let us urge people to get out there and spend. Ms (North Shore) (13:37:56): I acknowledge the member for Manly for introducing this motion. He is an avid supporter of the arts and the night-time economy and of ensuring that we invest in hospitality and tourism. I acknowledge also the challenges of this year's COVID-19 pandemic for our night-time economy. In Manly there are a lot of people who like a good night out. Since the member for Manly and I both have two children under the age of two, and I know that the Mr Assistant Speaker has a one-year-old, our night-time enjoyment is usually of a different nature. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Wiggles concerts. Ms FELICITY WILSON: We look forward to getting out and about, seeing more of Sydney and more live bands, theatre and music and having an opportunity to get involved with hospitality and our small bars and cafes and artists. I commend the member for Manly for bringing this motion to the House today. As Mr Assistant Speaker just noted, this time last year I was looking forward to a Wiggles concert—which, I must say, was outstanding. For those who do not have small children and have never experienced a Wiggles concert, the Wiggles are consummate professionals in their performances. It was an exceptional day. Some really exciting events are coming to Sydney next year, which I will speak about in a moment. I will speak as well about the tourism industry and the challenges it has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and how our night-time economy strategy works to ensure that we can invest in our tourism industry as well as the broader visitor economy and the tourism supply chain. That includes frontline businesses that directly provide services to tourists, support businesses such as catering, the many companies providing services to events and conferences, laundromats providing services to hotels and motels, and so on. To support the recovery and growth of these sectors, now is the time to embrace the vibrant, diverse, inclusive, and most importantly, safe, 24-hour economy in Sydney. I congratulate Minister on his work on this issue. I was one of the members of the Joint Select Committee on Sydney's Night Time Economy. We made key recommendations that would open a vibrant and safe Sydney. Once again I acknowledge the work of the chair of the committee, the Hon. Natalie Ward in the other place, and the member for Tweed, who is present in the Chamber. The Government supported the key recommendations that the committee made and has made a number of regulatory changes in the Sydney CBD precinct, including Oxford Street. Some of the changes now in effect include: the removal of the 1.30 a.m. last entry for all venues in the CBD precinct; removal of restrictions on cocktail shots and drinks in glass after midnight; extending last drinks at venues with good records by 30 minutes; extended bottle shop opening hours; and increased patron capacity for small bars. These are all changes to help our night-time economy bounce back, including after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government's 24-hour Economy Strategy sets out a road map for recovery through growth that will create jobs, foster arts and culture and reinforce Sydney's status as Australia's only truly global city. In June this year the Government announced the Great Southern Nights initiative to kickstart the recovery of the live music, entertainment and hospitality industries. Events will occur across the State with more than 2,500 artists in 300 venues. In my community of the North Shore, Big Music Studios at Crows Nest will host four events, Music@StreetMarket in Crows Nest will host four events and The Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay will host five events, giving locals in my electorate a variety of events to attend and enjoy. Musical theatre has also returned to Sydney. Pippin opens next week—on the Minister's birthday, I note. Hopefully that will be his birthday celebration on 24 November. To great joy, Hamilton arrives in March 2021. If my husband is watching, his early Christmas surprise is learning that his present this year is tickets to Hamilton for next year. I look forward to watching that with him. I am very excited about this motion and the effort going into Sydney's night-time economy. I thank the member for Manly once again for moving the motion. Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (13:42:01): I am happy to contribute to the motion moved by the member for Manly. Unfortunately, the Government's 24-hour Economy Strategy fails to adequately address the issues at hand and leaves many stakeholders, businesses and punters out in the cold. Labor wants to see the soul returned to Sydney, as well as towns and cities across New South Wales, but the Government's strategy to date falls short. In his motion the member for Manly says that the strategy is designed to grow and support jobs in the hospitality, tourism, retail and arts sectors. If that is the case and the Government is serious about having an impact Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4884

on these sectors then the strategy must support live music and must include the removal of live music bans. I take this moment to acknowledge a local band from my area, Gully Days, with whom I have been speaking. Mr Geoff Provest: That's what's on the T-shirt. Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL: Yes, it is. They are a little local band straight out of Bronte that I have been working with quite closely recently. They have been struggling as venues have been shut down and restrictions have curbed their capacity to perform. They have been doing a great job creating their own venues but they want to see the return of live music. What we propose is common sense. Supporting live music is a chunky solution to injecting much needed stimulus into the arts, hospitality, tourism and retail sectors. Here is just one example why this should be done. Tim Freedman is not only one of the Labor movement's favourite sons, he is also the lead singer of one of Australia's most iconic bands, The Whitlams. Tim is currently on tour in New South Wales to promote the band's new single. The tour has 15 dates between November and January, visiting 12 different New South Wales electorates. Wherever this tour goes it provides work for travelling crews and local crews in each location. The audience members come from across the State, choosing to design holidays around this fantastic live show. However, due to the Government's restrictive legislation limiting live music in Sydney, there are very few of Tim's performances in Sydney at all. It is great for the regions but not great for Sydney. I would love to see him performing in the eastern suburbs at Selina's, bringing back one of Sydney's great venues. Live music and performances provide businesses of every industry that the member for Manly named, yet the Government refuses to support live music as part of its night-time economy strategy. By failing to give councils the power to remove conditions from development approvals, no new venues will appear. By failing to remove bans on live music or restrictions on mirror balls and dance floors, no new business opportunities will emerge and no new emerging artists will have venues to play in. What we need is a new generation of artists able to play in venues both big and small right across our great city and the State, and they need a Government that supports them to do this. The Eastern Suburbs has always been a fertile spot for up-and-coming musicians, from fantastic small venues like Little Jack Horner right through to the famous Selina's at Coogee Bay Hotel. But many venues like these are disappearing under this Government. I long to see the glory days of live music returning to the Eastern Suburbs and the streets, towns and cities across this great State. It is the responsibility of the Government to make this happen. It cannot continue to ignore the calls from businesses and creative industries that are begging for live music to return and bring with it the vibrant, dynamic, safe and accessible night-time economy that we all want to see again. Giving people a $25 voucher to attend a venue does not work unless the venue has artists. The legislative instruments exist to support live performances. Business communities and the public are right behind the support of live performances. It is the Government that is holding them back. Mr GEOFF PROVEST (Tweed) (13:46:28): I make a contribution to the discussion on the motion moved by the member for Manly on the 24-hour Economy Strategy for Greater Sydney. I was a member of the Joint Select Committee on Sydney's Night Time Economy with the member for North Sydney and others. We toured venues in Sydney as well as Newcastle and Wollongong and looked at the various issues. We all know why those regulations were made. We all know why Thomas Kelly's killer is serving jail time. Unfortunately, people lost their lives. The committee made recommendations to the Government about lifting the regulations. A large number of those have been put in place and we are seeing a revitalisation. I am probably one of the few members in the House who worked in the industry. I was the entertainment manager at Revesby Workers Club in its heyday in the eighties that saw Tina Turner; AC/DC; Mental As Anything; the famed The Cockroaches, who became in their later years The Wiggles; The Radiators; and the list went on, performing in the main auditoriums. There were also many standalone duos performing at the club. I am a great believer in fostering local talent. What we have gone through in the pandemic is unusual. This is a work in progress motion. There are some good things coming out of it. I was one of those poor venue operators who would have locals ringing up saying they could not get to sleep and the windows were shaking. I would have the licensing police there. We would turn the sound down and the band would turn it up again. It went on and on. But a lot of people gained a lot of entertainment out of it. We can joke about mirror balls, dancing, kissing and cuddling on the dance floor and so on but at the end of the day our priority is to keep people safe. I was buoyed by the focus on outdoor dining. That is a good initiative. I had the fortune to be in the city on a Sunday and I noted in The Rocks area a lot of venues had tables and chairs in the street and it created a great atmosphere. There were some buskers and things like that. We support more integrated planning and place-making, more "joined up" State, local government and industry collaboration to enable 24-hour economies to thrive. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4885

One venue mentioned used the rooftop to have an outdoor barbecue, which was very popular on Sundays and Mondays, but a block of units was built and the tenants complained about the smell of onions and steak. When a hotel has been operating for many years we need to continually adapt our planning system. I feel very proud to be a member of this Government. I believe my colleague the member for Cootamundra cuts the rug occasionally in Coota at various venues, or will do once the restrictions are lifted. I can see her with a mirror ball. We need to keep this work in progress because we have a changing market. When I worked in the industry AC/DC—Acca Dacca—Rose Tattoo and, heaven forbid, The Angels were at venues, but people's music tastes have changed as a result of social media. This Government is recognising the change in dining habits and the entertainment industry, and is supporting them. I support the motion. Mr JAMES GRIFFIN (Manly) (13:50:47): In reply: I thank the member for Canterbury and shadow Minister for her contribution to this debate. I appreciate her invitation to visit Campsie and Earlwood, and her bringing along the bouzouki, which is a wonderful instrument. I also thank the member for North Shore for acknowledging the work of the Great Southern Nights initiative and for her contribution to this debate. I thank the member for Coogee for her passionate contribution and the promotion of her local band. I also thank the member for Tweed, a member of the committee, for his contribution to this debate. This outstanding policy has been put forward by this Government. I commend the Minister and all involved in bringing it to the House and ultimately delivering on this wonderful policy that will revitalise Sydney's night-life. It is an outstanding piece of work and sets the foundation for a bright future. I commend the motion to the House. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to. Motion agreed to. DUBBO DAFFODIL DAY Mr (Dubbo) (13:52:01): I move: That this House: (1) Recognises the importance of fundraising activities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when so many charities are battling due to the financial circumstances the community is facing. (2) Commends the wonderful work done by Jason Dearmer of Dubbo, who ensured a Daffodil Day event, supporting the NSW Cancer Council was able to proceed in the city by standing in the main street and selling 360 bunches of daffodils in a COVID-safe manner. (3) Highlights the community spirit shown in order to make the event happen, most notably from Church St Cafe & Bar, Hot Poppyz Florist and Food At Yours which provided food, flowers and daffodil-themed sugar cookies for the event. I am delighted to recognise the importance of fundraising activities, especial during COVID-19 times when so many charities have been battling due to the financial circumstances that we are facing as a community. I am here also to commend the wonderful work done by Dubbo's Jason Dearmer who ensured that a Daffodil Day event supporting the NSW Cancer Council was able to proceed this year and also to highlight the community spirit that made that event happen. I pay tribute not only to Daffodil Day but also to all those amazing people across the electorate, and indeed across the State who have continued to put others before themselves and raise money for a range of amazing causes during the most difficult time in living memory. There is little doubt that COVID-19 has put a strain on the disposable income of people and for those in the bush it has been cobbled with a prolonged period of intense drought which, thankfully, has eased somewhat with rain this year. But COVID-19 has also forced people to adapt and persevere in the way they do things. A shining example of exactly that is Jason Dearmer from Dubbo who took it upon himself to ensure that the Dubbo Daffodil Day went ahead in some way, shape or form. Unfortunately, nobody is immune to the impact that cancer has on our communities. In fact I think it is probably fair to say that most people have been touched in one way or another by cancer and it can take an awful toll. Organisations like the Cancer Council provide really good support to people through their fight, but with so many people out of work or on reduced hours, charities have faced a battle to access funds like they never have in the past. Due to concerns about COVID-19, the Cancer Council determined that the usual Daffodil Day events would not go ahead in 2020, but Jason, who has been involved with the organisation since taking part in his first Relay For Life in 2014, would not be deterred. He ordered 360 bunches of the bright yellow flowers from local florist Hot Poppyz, organised for a large number of delicious yellow sugar cookies to be prepared by Caitlin Amor from Food At Yours, and joined with Errin Williamson and her crew from the Church Street Cafe to set up a COVID-safe event. Jason, who is also involved with the Dubbo Triathlon Club, Dubbo Rugby Club and Hear Our Heart Ear Bus committees, found some bright yellow clothing and the end result was that $4,300 was raised for the Cancer Council. To say this exceeded expectations would be an understatement, but it shows how supportive people in Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4886

the bush are when it comes to helping a good cause. And while Jason shined a bright yellow glow on Dubbo during a tough time in our history, the same can also be said for those who turned the town of Mudgee pink during October. The Pink up Mudgee campaign is held every October and it raises money for the McGrath Foundation. People wear pink, businesses get wrapped up in the colour and plenty of houses are decorated with pink to raise awareness and funds for the cause. Pink up Mudgee is the brainchild of real estate agent Hugh Bateman and has been running for four years. In that time it has also spread to more than 70 other locations that use Breast Cancer Awareness Month to brighten up their towns. Among those other locations are Gulgong, Rylstone and Kandos, which are all close to Mudgee but they have done their own thing. They have jumped on board. They are supporting their neighbours but also contributing socially and emotionally to their own communities. A COVID-19 safe race day and golf day have been some of the events that have been held this year to make Pink up Mudgee another great success, while a stream of small donations are also combining to ensure that a good sum of money will be made available to the McGrath Foundation. It is fantastic and congratulations again to the bloke behind it all, Hugh Bateman, who loves nothing better than dressing up in pink and supporting plenty of people around the region. Fundraising is not limited to traditional charities. Quite often these days we see crowd funding for causes as well. Recently I mentioned Dubbo nurse Christie Gunther who did a 12-hour treadmill challenge and sought donations through a GoFundMe campaign that has been established to help the family of Mitchell Ray, a brave young man who is battling neuroblastoma. Despite the challenging times people got behind Christie's efforts and the wider campaign itself to the point where almost $50,000 has been raised for the Ray family. I think the examples I am talking about really highlight some of the rare positives to come from the COVID-19 pandemic— the flexibility people have shown to get things done and support the community. Another example is the Late Mail Postie Bike Ride—a charity event that raises funds for the not-for-profit organisation Wings4Kidz. The 2020 edition of the event was held recently, with organiser Jason Turner and his crew plotting a route that started in Hargraves, visited Parkes, Condobolin, Cobar, Bourke, Lightning Ridge and Coonabarabran before ending in Mudgee. Despite the challenges this year has presented, this year's ride set an amazing record and raised $232,000, up $24,000 from the previous best return. It once again shows the spirit of regional New South Wales that during a time when people have been doing it tough as a result of drought and the pandemic, such generosity still exists for the most deserving of causes. With this year's event the total over seven years is now over $1 million. Well done to Jason and his entire committee. Of course not everyone has been able to find ways to raise money through the pandemic. I recently received some correspondence from the Dubbo Evening View Club, whose ability to fundraise had ground to a halt. Normally it holds card evenings and runs a Bunnings sausage sizzle, but given the group is made up of mostly senior ladies, who are in the COVID-19 high-risk group, that has all had to be cancelled this year. Normally the club donates about $1,500 each year towards the Learning for Life program, which supports a couple of children and ensures they have got books, clothing and excursions, basically everything they need for the best education. The club had not been able to raise money this year, but I am happy to say that through a representation to the Acting Minister for seniors, the Hon. , who is the Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, we have been able to provide the Dubbo Evening View Club with a year's worth of funding, which will allow it to use the small amount of money it had in its own account as a base to return to normal fundraising activities. I am proud to recognise just a few of the people who have done great things across the Dubbo electorate and who put others before themselves, even in spite of the incredibly challenging year we have had in 2020. There are many more people right across the State but I am glad to have had the opportunity to recognise some of our local heroes and congratulate them formally for everything they do. Debate interrupted. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I will now leave the chair. The House will resume at 2.15 p.m. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4887

Announcements MEMBER FOR CANTERBURY MEMBER FOR MURRAY MEMBER FOR PORT STEPHENS MEMBER FOR SYDNEY MEMBER FOR PORT MACQUARIE MEMBER FOR KU-RING-GAI The SPEAKER: I extend birthday greetings to the member for Canterbury, whose birthday it is today. I also wish members representing the electorates of Murray, Port Stephens, Sydney, Port Macquarie and Ku-ring-gai all the best for their upcoming birthdays. BRETT WRIGHT The SPEAKER: I inform members that Brett Wright, Senior Manager, Property and Facilities at the Parliament is retiring at the end of the year after 38 years' service. Brett started his career at Parliament as a mechanical fitter in the Plant section of Building Services in 1982. He has worked on almost every aspect of the Parliament House buildings and facilities. In the past year Brett was promoted to Senior Manager, Property and Facilities and successfully implemented the transfer of electorate office management to the Department of Parliamentary Services. Brett has made a magnificent contribution over 38 years. Members congratulate him and wish him all the best for a relaxing and enjoyable retirement, which I hope also gives him the opportunity to focus on his love of football on the Central Coast. Members applauded. I will obviously ignore that breach of standing orders, which I participated in. CHAMBER DRESS STANDARDS The SPEAKER: I will address, in a relaxed way, the issue of business attire and what people wear in the Chamber. I note that both Whips offices have asked me to do so, and I stress it is not a heavy-handed approach. However, I reinforce that, like many legislatures around Australia, we have a sensible standard of business attire. It is not contained in the standing or sessional orders of the House, but it has been generally understood for many decades. Recently the Standing Orders and Procedure Committee considered the matter and whether a more formal dress standard should be introduced, but we decided that it was not appropriate to introduce a sessional order. [Members interjected] Order! I ask members to be conscious, in a general sense, of the ongoing observance of the dress standards of the House. Mr : Does that mean I have to wear a suit? The SPEAKER: There is no standing or sessional order, and we are not introducing one. We wish to formalise the current requirement. Mr : The Speaker should wear a wig! The SPEAKER: I will restrain myself from commenting on the request of the Deputy Premier for me to wear a wig. I addressed that in my first speech as Speaker. I know that members are very exuberant as it is the end of the year. However, I ask that members hold it together for one more question time. I would hate for any members to be removed from the Chamber today. I remind members that it is the last sitting day of the year. If I have to remove a member today it will most likely be under Standing Order 249 (1), but I do not want to have to do that either. Members REPRESENTATION OF MINISTERS ABSENT DURING QUESTIONS Mr : On behalf of Ms : I inform the House that today I will answer questions in the absence of the Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4888

Question Time CAMELLIA LAND PURCHASE Ms JODI McKAY (Strathfield) (14:22:18): My question is directed to the Premier. The secretary of her department, Tim Reardon, chaired the finance and investment committee that agreed to buy toxic land at Camellia for three times its value. Given her own Minister has asked for ICAC to investigate this purchase, will she stand her secretary aside? Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN (Willoughby—Premier) (14:22:40): The short answer to the question is no. Ms Jodi McKay: Of course you wouldn't. It's standard for you. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition has asked a question and I ask that she listen to the answer. Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN: The further response is that either the Opposition has faith in all the integrity agencies in New South Wales or it does not. If members opposite support the integrity agencies and support due process they will appreciate that those bodies have the powers to deal with the matter appropriately. Ms Jodi McKay: It is about whether you stand him aside while he is being investigated. Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN: I have already answered that question. What matters to the people of New South Wales is the quality of life they have and the services and infrastructure they receive. Members opposite talk a lot about jobs, but today the unemployment figures came out. As at today, New South Wales has the lowest unemployment in the nation. We are the only State that has had a drop, of 0.7 per cent, since last month. We are also the only State that has maintained its participation rate back to March levels. We are incredibly proud of that. Every day in this job is about the people of this State and what they need. We will ensure that we deliver on their behalf. GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (14:23:59): My question is addressed to the Premier. Will she update the House on how the Government has supported the community through the many challenges of 2020? Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN (Willoughby—Premier) (14:24:10): I start by acknowledging to all colleagues in this Chamber that, no matter what electorate they represent or what part of the State they come from, all our communities have been through a very difficult year. I remember very vividly how we started off the year. I was with the transport Minister, member for Bega, in Malua Bay. I will never forget the chaos and distress I witnessed in the thick smoke that day, when families had literally just been evacuated from homes they were unsure existed anymore. What we witnessed was a very small proportion compared with what was witnessed by many thousands of people in the State. I hope nobody on the planet gets to experience the catastrophic fires that Australians experienced last summer. But as Christmas approaches, we turn our minds to the many people for whom emotions are still very raw and for whom the scars of having experienced the bushfires have not healed. Exactly a year after bushfires broke out in the Northern Rivers part of the State, I visited those communities again. A couple of weeks ago in the company of the member for Clarence I saw people in his community who were still struggling with distress caused by the bushfires. What I saw clearly demonstrated to me what the community has been through and, even though a year has passed, what the community is still going through. In addition, for many years our State experienced devastating drought, with families not knowing where their next pay cheque was coming from or whether they would be able to keep their house or their farm. For many of us, that is what we read about or hear about but we can only imagine what it is like to live through it. On top of all of that, the State has the pandemic. We may think some people in this State would be almost at breaking point, but instead we witnessed enormous resilience and strength. Furthermore, we witnessed the capacity of our people to not only accept advice from health experts the Government provided for them but also support each other during those difficult times. All of us know that, even if we had the best government in the world that is flush with funds, no matter what happens it is our communities and community leaders who step up and support each other. Government members see that every day when carrying out our roles. One of the opportunities afforded members of Parliament is witnessing the community standing up, taking on leadership roles and supporting one another. During the bushfires we saw real community leadership. I accompanied the Minister for Police and Emergency Services to some bushfire areas. I also accompanied the Minister for Local Government, and member for South Coast, to one of the showgrounds in her electorate where the community came together and out of nothing created this wonderful place where people and families who had lost everything could simply come in Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4889

and get what they needed with no questions asked—and get top quality too. That was not the Government; it was the community who had rallied and worked together to make that happen. All colleagues who witnessed in their communities the devastation and the sorrow of the droughts and bushfires acknowledge that many of our citizens are still going through a difficult time. In relation to the bushfires, the New South Wales Government recently provided additional funding. In essence, the Government provided billions of dollars to support the State's emergency services and ensure they have world-leading equipment. The New South Wales Government is pleased to lend much of our equipment, including the Marie Bashir, to other States that need it. Certainly our attitude is to make sure we are best in class. We have what we need to ensure that any catastrophic event like last summer's bushfires can be withstood. I say to all farming communities that have been through the devastating drought that it is now time for hope and optimism since the drought has broken in many regions of the State. When there is hope and optimism in the regions, we know that COVID—which has affected everybody in the State, particularly in Sydney where it has had a significant impact on jobs—can be withstood. I am pleased with the State's latest unemployment figures. More than any other Australian city, Sydney relies on services sectors such as tourism, hospitality and entertainment. Sydney is a global city. Today I commend the Treasurer, the Deputy Premier and our entire team because New South Wales now has an unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent—the lowest in the nation. The national unemployment average is 7 per cent. Last month New South Wales was the only State that recorded a massive drop of 0.7 per cent in its unemployment rate. A decrease in unemployment of 0.7 per cent in one month is huge. The only other State that recorded a decrease was Western Australia, and that was a decrease of 0.1 per cent. The other States recorded an increase in their unemployment rate. New South Wales was the only State that recorded a substantial decrease in unemployment. Western Australia recorded a marginal decrease in unemployment but unfortunately every other State recorded an increase in unemployment. Those figures not only validate the policies of this Government to keep jobs, save jobs and create jobs but also validate the State's COVID strategy of keeping the community safe and healthy but not stopping the economy, jobs and people from being able to provide food for their families and the services their families need, as well as not stopping people from having meaningful work. Every single day that balance has been difficult to maintain, but we did it because we had to. [Extension of time] The Government acknowledges that for mental health, wellbeing and quality of life people need to be safe and healthy but they also need meaningful work. People also need to know that when they apply for meaningful work, the opportunities are available. In addition to having the lowest unemployment rate in the nation—numbers are just numbers—what is particularly pleasing about today's figures is that New South Wales is the first State where participation rates have reached this year's March level. In other words, March-April, when the State went into lockdown, was the worst period for the State but now the number of people in the workforce has been restored to March levels, which is very positive. Unfortunately, some of the unemployment figures for the other States do not include that their workforce participation rates fell massively. New South Wales restored its participation rates and reduced its unemployment rate. I am incredibly proud to say that currently in New South Wales four million people are employed and in the past three months 80,000 jobs were created. While all of us appreciate how difficult this year has been, we also appreciate the strength and resilience of our community. All of us have been humbled by what our State is actually capable of. Today, alongside some of my colleagues, I was very pleased to announce further easing of restrictions and also our absolute commitment to the strategy New South Wales has in place. I always say to my colleagues: Let's not be afraid to try things that no-one else on the planet has tried in relation to COVID. Let's not be afraid to be world leading. Let's not be afraid to do things that other States and other places have not done—things like quick response—QR—codes, our borders and quarantine. I am incredibly proud of our Government's record. We are far from perfect, but I appreciate that during a difficult year everybody has stepped up. Every single member of this House has stepped up, no matter which political party they belong to. We have been there to support our communities as they have supported us. Let us all hope that 2021 brings more hope and more aspirations for the people of New South Wales. CAMELLIA LAND PURCHASE Mr (Kogarah) (14:31:24): In directing my question to the Minister for Transport and Roads, I note the Minister's appropriate actions on 12 November this year when he referred questions relating to the Camellia land purchase to the ICAC and the Auditor-General and that in 2016 Transport for NSW prepared a briefing note signed by the Minister on 28 April approving the compulsory acquisition of the land. I ask: Was the Minister made aware that the department had changed its position to pursue a negotiated purchase rather than compulsory acquisition? Mr (Bega—Minister for Transport and Roads) (14:32:05): I thank the member for Kogarah for his question. Obviously the reason I referred this to ICAC and to the Auditor-General Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4890

was to get to the bottom of the whole process, including as part of that other decisions that were made through the committee. It is no secret. The briefing note has been in the public domain. Certainly, I absolutely signed it at that time. I think it is important to note that I sign off hundreds of those things—hundreds—because our infrastructure program is so big. Part of that is my expectation is full transparency in relation to this. I have made that clear. Let us just let the Auditor-General and the ICAC work through their processes in relation to the matter. REGIONAL NEW SOUTH WALES Mr DUGALD SAUNDERS (Dubbo) (14:32:05): My question is addressed to the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads. Will the Minister update the House on how the Government is making holiday travel easier for the people of New South Wales? Mr PAUL TOOLE (Bathurst—Minister for Regional Transport and Roads) (14:33:17): I thank the member for Dubbo for his question. There is no doubt that with the year drawing to a close we turn our minds to the holiday period. I hope members consider supporting regional New South Wales and supporting our regional economies by taking a day trip or a longer holiday. The New South Wales Liberals and Nationals have done our part to make that holiday trip a little bit easier. Billions of dollars are being invested in regional roads and transport across the State. In this financial year alone the Government has embarked on record investment of $8.7 billion in regional roads and transport. I want every member of this House—especially Opposition members—to get out to the regions to see the regions for themselves. I am always here to help. I actually think I am a pretty helpful guy— some people call me "Helpful Tooley"—so I have organised an itinerary for the Labor frontbench so I can help them to see some of the great projects that are underway. I am going to start with the member for Swansea. Being on the coast is lovely, but nothing beats getting out to the red dust of the west, so I am booking the member for Swansea in for a trip to Tibooburra to inspect our newly sealed Silver City Highway. She can stop at the Packsaddle Roadhouse, buy a burger and talk to Mia or she can go to The Family Hotel Tibooburra where she can talk to the elected mayor John and the locals about how happy they are to see this project in that area. I know the member for Barwon also knows that is a great project in his community. The member for Swansea can take a few other members of the caucus with her so that they can see there are other people living on the other side of the Great Dividing Range. Who is next? Where is the member for Maitland? I have done my homework on her. For her I am thinking of a nice caravan trip from border to border—from Boggabilla to Finley. That will give her the chance to inspect the 12 new overtaking lanes on the Newell Highway. They are boosting freight productivity and slashing travel times. While she is there she will admire the beautiful farming country, but I want her to stop and eyeball some of the farmers and think about the way she voted all year and how she has made their lives so much harder by not supporting them. I will move on to the member for Campbelltown. I have not forgotten about him. He can go and have a look at the Scone bypass and be reminded of what regional New South Wales actually looks like. I tell him every time in this place that Campbelltown is different; it is not regional New South Wales. I will finish with the Leader of the Opposition. She needs a holiday and a bit of a break, so I have organised her a trip on the WestConnex—something that she opposed. She can have a beautiful trip over the mountains and have a look at the upgrades to the Great Western Highway—again something that she opposed. Then she can pick up the member for Blue Mountains, who also opposes upgrades to the Great Western Highway. Then she can go to Dubbo, see the local member and check out the new regional rail maintenance facility. While she is there she can see the concrete that has been poured for that facility and look at the additional 58 bus services that have been provided to that community. She can have a look at the real-time tracking that is occurring as well. I have a fun holiday project for her while she is there. I want her to solve one of the great mysteries of our State: the disappearance of Country Labor. I want her to tell us what happened to Country Labor because they have not been sighted there for years. If we have a look at the last election in Dubbo, they got 7,000 votes—a drop of almost 30 per cent. We are investing in regional and rural New South Wales, making life easier for the people in those communities and making it easier to travel. I hope everyone has a merry Christmas and a restful break. I look forward to coming back in 2021 and telling the Opposition again about all of the great projects in regional New South Wales. MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND ROADS Mr CLAYTON BARR (Cessnock) (14:38:36): My question is directed to the Minister for Transport and Roads. Senior National Party MP the Hon. —I emphasise the senior—has described the Minister as the "greatest RINO … this Government has". RINO stands for "regional in name only". Is the Minister a RINO? The SPEAKER: Is the Minister happy to answer the question? Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4891

Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE (Bega—Minister for Transport and Roads) (14:39:33): Yes. I am not going to miss. I would sooner be a RINO than a goose, and the member for Cessnock has been one all year. I have to admit that I learned something today; I learned who Wes Fang was—the poor bloke. I jumped on Google and saw that he has been fighting with this other bloke I do not know—Matthew Mason-Cox. Happy Christmas. There are some great Nationals members. The Deputy Premier and I have had our moments this year, but I love him. I am going to reflect on the question. I am sure Wes Fang is grateful to be on the joint Liberal-Nationals ticket and get elected by city Liberals. I have seen his comments and there are some important messages in them. Today we very seriously made some significant inroads to try to save lives and they are not easy. It is not easy for the community and it is not easy to work through this area of public policy. On a serious note, I would say to him personally to go back and look at what was said at the presser today by Peter Frazer. Go back and look at what the beautiful Abdallah family have been through this year and take note. I had a look at the stats for Wagga Wagga, where this member of the upper House hails from. Wagga Wagga has had seven fatalities this year—way too many for one community. Over the past five years, 1,100 people in Wagga Wagga have been in hospital because of road accidents. We have got to try and work through this in a bipartisan way. Ms Jodi McKay: He is actually in your own party. Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE: No, hang on, please. Come on, Jodi, you are better than that. Ms Jodi McKay: Oh, Andrew! Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE: Are you going to interrupt and be silly or are you going to listen? Ms Jodi McKay: You were not answering the question. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE: You know what, your shadow spokesperson went out this morning a little bit pre-emptively over this issue. Fines revenue goes into the Community Road Safety Fund to try to get people to do what they should have been doing in the first place: sticking to the road rules. The great news that Minister Toole and I put out today is that the net revenue in terms of removing the signs from mobile speed cameras— Ms Gabrielle Upton: Which Jodi wanted on. Mr ANDREW CONSTANCE: No, hang on. That net revenue is going to fund 3,300 kilometres of rumble strips on country roads so that people do not veer off and end up in a paddock or wrapped around a tree. Importantly, we are taking those measures because we do not want to see again as we have seen this year 275 people lose their lives and their families destroyed. We are bringing ourselves into line with other States in terms of those warning signs. We are obviously hypothecating all fines revenue into the Community Road Safety Fund, not into the Treasurer's pocket through the Consolidated Fund. That is the point. There is a community perception that this goes into the Consolidated Fund; it does not. Last night Minister Toole and I made time available to brief Mr Fang. I say to all members in this place that we were given information which showed that if we made changes to the mobile speed camera program, so that the moment people back out of their driveway they know they can be caught anywhere at any time, up to 43 lives would be saved. That has come from Monash University. We cannot ignore that—no-one can. I have read his nice comments. I wish he would display a little bit more maturity about this issue. We save lives because that is what this business is all about. STATE BUDGET AND WORKING FAMILIES Mr (Riverstone) (14:44:39): I address my question to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on how the budget supports working families in New South Wales? Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (Epping—Treasurer) (14:44:50): I thank the progressive member for Riverstone for his question. He is a great member and a great man, and he is doing a great job for his community. He knows that this budget delivers for the electorate of Riverstone, particularly with Rouse Hill Hospital, on which the health Minister is working very diligently. As the Premier has said, the Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] numbers that came out today were very pleasing. The unemployment rate of 6½ per cent is the lowest in the nation. Importantly, the participation rate—as the Premier said is at March levels—is up 0.1 per cent, and the underemployment rate is down 0.3 per cent. If you look at the jobs in New South Wales since April 2011—the ABS does that because it obviously goes from the point when the Government came to office—585,000 jobs were created right across the State. That is more than twice as much as Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania combined. A part of Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4892

the story is down to the great policies of the Liberals and National Party—the Nationals and the Liberals, the Liberals and the Nationals. Mr : One big, happy family. Ms Jodi McKay: Let's not call them a happy family! Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: A very happy family—as we see today—that has shown great unity throughout the year. And what a great way to end it, thanks Wes—legend! What time did he arrive back? Mr Andrew Constance: I don't know. I didn't pay any attention. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Anyway, good on him. A lot of this goes down to the great men and women across New South Wales who, particularly during this pandemic, have done a fantastic job. Businesses across the State have put in those COVID Safety Plans and QR codes that "DAC Man" opposite loves so much. That has ensured we have been able to open up safely and keep as many people in work as possible. The payroll tax changes that we have made over the last couple of years have taken the threshold from $750,000 to $1 million. That is 5,000 businesses falling out of the payroll tax system, saving on average around $10,000 costs— Mr Clayton Barr: You guys capped it in 2011. Mike Baird— Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Mate, Labor ran an election campaign on increasing the payroll tax. You were the shadow finance Minister then, weren't you? Mr Clayton Barr: You guys capped it in 2011. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Cessnock to order for the first time. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: The member for Keira is being very quiet. That was his great policy. Who said, "If the Government really wanted to help businesses hire new employees they would cut the payroll tax rate or increase the threshold"? That was in 2011. The Government did exactly that. We did not do one or the other; we did both. The payroll tax rate is now 4.85 per cent, the lowest headline rate in the nation. In Victoria the threshold rate is $650,000. Increasing that threshold from $750,000 to $1.2 million will ensure that many more businesses across the State have the opportunity to invest and take on more staff in what is going to be a very difficult time. As I said earlier in the week, we lost around 270,000 jobs between April and May. Today's numbers show that we have regained 210,000, which represents a strong step in the right direction. The Government's Small Business Support Grant scheme for businesses that do not pay payroll tax supports over 53,000 businesses and 150,000 employees. The Small Business Recovery Grant will provide $528 million to support over 36,000 businesses and 96,000 employees, of which $110 million has already been paid out or approved, and the Jobs and Infrastructure Acceleration Fund will create 20,000 jobs, 12,000 of which will be in regional New South Wales. The Government will also provide $1 billion in funding through the Working for NSW fund, inject hundreds of millions of dollars into schools, create 1,500 jobs through our COVID-19 Recovery Plan and invest $100 million via a Regional Job Creation Fund. Right across the board this Government is creating more jobs to make sure that—whether it is through the construction sector, in which about 150,000 jobs will be created—the Berejiklian-Barilaro Government continues to deliver for people across the State. BANKSTOWN-LIDCOMBE HOSPITAL Ms (Bankstown) (14:49:58): I direct my question to the Treasurer. My community was promised a new hospital but the budget delivers no funds and no site, and delays completion until 2028. Will the Treasurer ever deliver the new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital? Mr Brad Hazzard: That is a straight-out lie. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (Epping—Treasurer) (14:50:34): What is it, Minister? Mr Brad Hazzard: It is a straight-out lie. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: The health Minister has called it a lie, and he is completely correct. The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will withdraw that comment. It is unparliamentary. The member for Wakehurst will remain silent. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: I withdraw the comment. This hospital will transform western Sydney. It was never promised and never delivered by members opposite. Under the Government's health infrastructure program, 47 new and upgraded hospitals will be built across the State. You do not build them overnight. Members opposite would not know how to build hospitals or schools because they closed more schools— Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4893

Ms Tania Mihailuk: Point of order: My point of order is on relevance under Standing Order 129. I have asked a question. There is no funding for this hospital and the Government has a completion date of 2028. The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is being relevant. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: The member for Bankstown will not be coming to the opening. She is out! She is not cutting the ribbon! The SPEAKER: The member for Bankstown will resume her seat. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: No sod turn—nothing for you! No Christmas presents—nothing for you! The member for East Hills, the Minister, the Premier and I will be there. Does anyone else on this side of the House want to come? The member for Parramatta wants to come. Dr Geoff Lee: Will there be cake? Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: There is cake. Wes is not coming. He is not invited. Mr Brad Hazzard: Wes is not invited. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Yeah, but we are going. We are going to turn the sod and build that hospital, like we are building a record number of hospitals across the State. Ms Tania Mihailuk: It is three State elections away. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: And that is why Labor will be in trouble at the next election. Ms Jodi McKay: Point of order: Mr Speaker, you have given a direction previously that if there is provocation from members opposite you would show leniency to our members. The member for Bankstown wants to take a point of order so she can have her question answered. The SPEAKER: The Clerk will stop the clock. The member for Bankstown was given the opportunity to take a point of order. I ruled that the Treasurer is being relevant. Ms Jodi McKay: She wants to take another one, Mr Speaker. The SPEAKER: One second later the member for Bankstown tried to take another point of order, which I did not take. I will not take repeated points of order that I regard as intended to disrupt the flow of the Treasurer. The Treasurer has the call. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Government members love working with members of the Labor Party in terms of delivering outcomes for their electorates. Recently we invited the member for Maitland to a topping-out ceremony. Ms : It was the first time. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Did you enjoy that? Did you enjoy the topping-out ceremony? Mr Paul Toole: I think she said thank you. That was a thankyou. Ms Jenny Aitchison: Actually, I didn't get invited. I found out. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: You loved it, didn't you? You love coming to our ceremonies, don't you? Mr Paul Toole: She is yelling from the rooftops. She loved it! Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: All those sod-turns, all those ribbon-cuttings. Ms Yasmin Catley: Point of order: My point of order is on relevance under Standing Order 129. Obviously the Treasurer is not being relevant. The people of Blacktown—Bankstown—deserve better. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Blacktown is another hospital the Government is building. The member for Swansea is getting mixed up because the Government is building so many. They are everywhere. There are hospitals in the bush. How good is the one in the Tweed? Mr Geoff Provest: Oh, about $750 million good. Mr Brad Hazzard: About that. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Approximately $750 million. Everywhere you go—Campbelltown, Blacktown, Westmead, Ryde, Nepean, Grafton—I had better not be announcing the new ones! Mr : Point of order— Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4894

The SPEAKER: Order! The Clerk will stop the clock. Mr Ryan Park: It is Standing Order 129. Mr Speaker, you have repeatedly said that answers must be generally relevant. The SPEAKER: I have heard enough. Mr Ryan Park: On this issue, the community has spoken clearly and loudly to the member for Bankstown. They are entitled— The SPEAKER: The Treasurer was being relevant when the member took his point of order. The member will resume his seat. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Thank you, Mr Speaker—good decision. You would look better in a wig, by the way. This new hospital will transform western Sydney. It is this Government that has promised it and it will be this Government that delivers it. Those opposite never promised it. It is because of the strong advocacy of the former member for East Hills before the election and by the current member, , who continues to advocate for her electorate. We will continue to invite the nice members opposite who want to work with the Government to the ceremonies as we continue to build more hospitals right across our State. STATE BUDGET AND LOCAL COURTS Mr (Albury) (14:56:30): My question is addressed to the Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Will the Attorney General update the House on how the budget 2020-2021 provides support to our local courts? Mr MARK SPEAKMAN (Cronulla—Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence) (14:56:55): I thank the member for Albury for his question and for his strong advocacy for improved court and justice infrastructure in the Albury electorate. Back in the eighties, when the member for Wakehurst was appearing in court— [Members interjected.] Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: I am sorry, that was a bit ambiguous. To clarify, I meant the 1980s, not the 1880s. When the member for Liverpool, perhaps the member for Prospect and I were appearing in court, audiovisual technology was a sparkle in the eyes of judicial officers—but not anymore. Hundreds of our courts already have this technology, which allows evidence to be led from witnesses far away from the physical courtroom or in a safe room sometimes just up the hall. The Treasurer's allocation of $100 million across two years will enable us to upgrade and expand this technology across our justice system. Impassioned commentary on the introduction of technology is usually the preserve of the member for Ryde and Minister for Customer Service, but I will take a crack at it, knowing full well that I will never surpass his suave attempts on social media. Many of our mums follow Victor on social media and watch him cooking with his mum. Thanks to Victor, our mums are complaining that we are not spending enough time with them or cooking enough with them. Thanks for that, Victor. This technology rolls out across our justice system to enable efficiency, but it is also about compassion. It empowers vulnerable witnesses and complainants in sexual assault proceedings and next year domestic violence proceedings to avoid facing their alleged attackers in the same room. The program is funding major security upgrades, including improvements to perimeter and interior security with upgrades to scanning and X-ray machines. I have seen these in action at the Downing Centre and they are impressive indeed, peering into bags and even detecting non-metal bladed weapons. Not everyone who comes to the Downing Centre or any of our courts in New South Wales is necessarily the sort of person that the member for Ryde or any of us would want to bring home to meet our mothers, so we have to make sure that all court users are safe. These security upgrades are helping us achieve that aim. Recently I went to the Central West and saw a number of important announcements about court upgrades. I was in Bathurst to see the exceptional heritage courthouse and announce a major security upgrade there, as well as a multimillion-dollar project to restore its magnificence. That project will repair the building's sandstone, copper, metal, lead work and wood elements, replace the deteriorated sandstone cornice at the base of the copper dome, maintain the copper-clad bell tower and restore the building's 27 chimneys. Yes, 27 chimneys—I am told it gets cold in Bathurst. This is just one of the projects to be funded from the $100 million sustaining critical infrastructure program. Whoever wins the tender for the work at Bathurst and at any of the other courthouses in communities right around the State will have the very best of local and regional workforces at their disposal. This is another way we are stimulating employment and at the same time preserving and improving courthouses and other justice infrastructure around the State to serve everyone in New South Wales for decades to come. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4895

The pandemic has thrust upon us a challenge that we just could not have imagined a mere 12 months ago— although that now seems like an eternity. Shattered economies need repair. That's what this budget is doing: creating employment, stimulating growth and nurturing confidence in a State that will bounce back much better than ever. We have one of the State's largest and most complex asset portfolios. Many of our court buildings are over 100 years old. Many are heritage listed and require critical infrastructure upgrades to meet modern service standards. This investment will deliver updated audiovisual link facilities, heritage conservation works, physical security system upgrades, fire safety works and other asset repairs at high-priority courthouses. All of this is on top of previous investments in our justice system, which particularly benefit the regions. I joined the member for Dubbo to turn the sod on a multipurpose courtroom in which we are investing $3.6 million. At Orange I opened a $2.2 million project to enhance security and accommodation for the first permanent District Court judge for the Orange-Bathurst-Parkes circuit. [Extension of time] This Liberal-Nationals Government, under the leadership of Glad the Gladiator, is fighting COVID and creating jobs right across New South Wales. She is fighting COVID on the beaches; she is fighting COVID on the landing grounds. She is fighting in the fields and in the streets; she is fighting in the hills. She will never, never surrender. Ms Jodi McKay: That's not what you say about her in Sutherland. Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: I acknowledge the interjection of the Leader of the Opposition. Our Gladys is a hero right across the State, including in Cronulla, for all those reasons. But I am worried about the Leader of the Opposition. When was the last time she came to Shark Park to barrack for the Sharkies? When was the last time the Leader of the Opposition had a beer at Northies? I like the member for Strathfield, but what I am worried about—rock historians and musos like the member for Tamworth will know what I am alluding to—is if the Leader of the Opposition came to Cronulla, what would the crowd say if she were to say to them, "Am I ever gonna see your face again?" FOREIGN INVESTMENT Mrs HELEN DALTON (Murray) (15:03:42): My question is directed to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing. Given that the Minister's department approved a water licence for the Chinese Government to buy 7,000 megalitres of water in the Gwydir valley, what checks does the Minister make to ensure our national interest is protected while foreign governments buy and trade water? Mrs (Oxley—Minister for Water, Property and Housing) (15:04:16): I thank the member for Murray for her question. This type of negativity and criticism is a common theme on the member's Facebook page. She should know by now, she has been a member of Parliament— Mrs Helen Dalton: Point of order— The SPEAKER: I am happy to hear the point of order but please make it relevant. What is the point of order? Mrs Helen Dalton: My point of order is under Standing Order 129. I am really pleased that the Minister is looking at my Facebook site. Keep going, keep looking. The SPEAKER: The Minister will continue. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: There are important things she needs to do as a member of Parliament representing her community. Creating hatred and attitudes— Mrs Helen Dalton: Point of order— The SPEAKER: The Clerk will stop the clock. I will hear the point of order. The member should not take a point of order just because she does do not like what is being said. What is the point of order? Mrs Helen Dalton: My point of order is under Standing Order 129, relevance. Answer the question, Minister. The SPEAKER: The Minister is making introductory comments. The Minister will continue. Mrs Helen Dalton: It is a really important question in Australia relating to the national interest. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: As I was saying, it is very important as a member of Parliament to show leadership in your community, not to create fear, anxiety, hatred and division. That is something that the member for Murray has made a hallmark of in her representation. Mrs Helen Dalton: Point of order— Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4896

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order? Mrs Helen Dalton: My point of order is under Standing Order 129, relevance. The SPEAKER: The Minister is being relevant. The Minister has the call. Mr Ryan Park: Point of order: My point of order is under Standing Order 73, no imputations. The SPEAKER: I will respond to points of order as they are raised. Mr Ryan Park: Standing Order 73, it is very clear. The SPEAKER: I ask the Minister to be careful with her comments in light of Standing Order 73. The Minister has the call. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: As I was saying, it is very important to show leadership in the community, especially such a diverse community as the electorate of Murray. Particularly around the communities of Griffith, there is a strong population of people from diverse backgrounds—Indian, Italian, South African—who work in and contribute to that community. Mrs Helen Dalton: Point of order— The SPEAKER: I will hear from the member for Murray again but it must be a valid point of order or I will ask her to be seated. Mrs Helen Dalton: My point of order is under Standing Order 129. Would the Minister like me to repeat the question? The SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. The Minister has the call. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: As I was saying, these communities contribute enormously to wealth and opportunity in Australia. As to the idea that we cannot have any investment from overseas, about 9 per cent of our water in New South Wales has some relationship to overseas countries. The United States and the United Kingdom make up the most of that and there is also Japan and China. As is appropriate, with major investment from overseas there are very strong measures, guidelines and analysis in place through the Foreign Investment Review Board. That is where any concerns around water need to be raised. Mrs Helen Dalton: You approve the licences. It is your department. You approve the licenses. The SPEAKER: The member for Murray will remain silent. Mr Andrew Constance: Ask her to rule out selling her own licences to a foreigner. See if she will do that. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: I am not going to ask the member for Murray about her family operation, which is an absolute success and a credit to her family. Mrs Helen Dalton: Point of order: Would the Minister like me to repeat the question? The SPEAKER: What is the point of order? Mrs Helen Dalton: It is not relevant to discuss my family. I'm not going to discuss your family, so don't discuss my family. The SPEAKER: The Minister has been relevant. I point out that the Minister will probably be less likely to respond personally if the member ceases interrupting. It is perfectly fair, as the member is interjecting constantly. The Minister has the call. Mrs MELINDA PAVEY: The question is designed to create fear, loathing, anxiety and division in the community. We have the appropriate checks and balances across this country through the Foreign Investment Review Board. The fact is that around 10 per cent of our water is owned by foreign corporations. I can give this guarantee: They cannot put the water in a suitcase and take it back overseas. STATE BUDGET AND FARM SAFETY Mr (Myall Lakes) (15:09:51): My question is addressed to the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation. The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister can make his way down to the Chamber. I understand that it is the last question on a Thursday on hopefully the last day of the sitting year. Members will remain quiet. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4897

Mr STEPHEN BROMHEAD: Will the Minister update the House on how the Government is delivering increased farm safety in the 2020-21 budget? Mr KEVIN ANDERSON (Tamworth—Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation) (15:10:57): The last time I got boos like that, we needed money to be thrown. I will bring my suitcase next time; throw money if you are going to boo. It is okay, I am used to it. [Opposition members interjected.] The SPEAKER: Order! The Clerk will stop the clock. A suspension of standing orders can be moved for Mr to be asked a question. In the meantime, members will show the Minister respect and listen to the answer in silence. Ms Sophie Cotsis: Is this how we are going to end the year? The SPEAKER: The Minister has the call. Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: That has been the year that is, up in the peanut gallery. I thank the member for Myall Lakes for his question. He is a great advocate for his community. He recently received a lot of money from the budget for Manning Base Hospital and Forster hospital, thanks to the Treasurer, who has done a great job, and thanks to the Premier and the Deputy Premier, who have delivered a budget like no other. Don't jump. Don't jump. [Opposition members interjected.] The budget has been about creating jobs in New South Wales in what has been a very difficult time on the back of COVID, bushfires and drought. Regional New South Wales has done it tough. That is why it is important to stimulate growth in regional New South Wales. That is why the budget has made sure that regional New South Wales has been the key for economic growth and development. It is about creating jobs, and jobs in regional New South Wales are important to keep food on the table and a roof over people's heads. We have to keep our jobs safe, particularly in our farm sector. Farm safety is also very important and we need to increase funding for that. There is $4.8 million going to farmers across regional New South Wales. Whether they are picking berries at Coffs Harbour, apples at Batlow or oranges at Gunnedah, we want to make sure that they are safe. Funding of $2.8 million is going to the Farm Safety Advisory Program to make sure that our farmers are safe. A safe work officer will go in to ensure safety. Ms Sophie Cotsis: Do you get a helmet? Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: Yes, you can get a helmet. Mr John Barilaro: Drone? Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: You can get a drone. We will get to the drones, roll bars. Anymore? Mr Clayton Barr: Boots? Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: Boots, hats, guitars. Ms Sophie Cotsis: Sunscreen? Zinc? Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: Sunscreen. They are all part of the Farm Safety Advisory Program. As members know, quad bikes are pretty dangerous. We are offering rebates for quad bikes to make sure they are safe. They are an important part of the farming enterprise but they are inherently dangerous. People think that because they have four big fat wheels they can take these suckers anywhere, but they can't. Mr John Barilaro: We do. Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: You do, that is right. We are suggesting that people make sure their quad bikes are safe and not to take them into dangerous territory. It is much safer to send up a drone to take photos in order to look at all the different areas of the farm. Our farmers are doing it tough, so we want to make sure that they keep it safe. Mr John Barilaro: The drought's broken. Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: The drought has broken and they are farming. There are good seasons. Rural communities thank the Treasurer and the Deputy Premier for the budget. As this is the last question of the year, what a hell of the year it has been. I wish everyone the very best. We are all still here having a laugh on the last day. Don't forget to come to Tamworth. As the safe work Minister, I hope Christmas is safer than the Leader of the Opposition's job. Thank you very much and good night. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4898

Bills ICAC AND OTHER INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (INDEPENDENT FUNDING) BILL 2020 First Reading Bill received from the Legislative Council, introduced and read a first time. The SPEAKER: I advise the House that I have received a written authority from the Hon. , MLC, advising that the member for Murray will have carriage of the bill in the Legislative Assembly. I order that the second reading of the bill stand as an order of the day for a future day. Committees LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SERVICES Reports Ms WENDY LINDSAY: As Chair: I table the report of the Committee on Community Services dated November 2020 entitled Protocol for Homeless People in Public Places. I move: That the report be printed. Motion agreed to. Business of the House SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND SESSIONAL ORDERS: ORDER OF BUSINESS Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: I move: That standing and sessional orders be suspended on Thursday 19 November 2020 to permit: (1) The House to continue to sit after the conclusion of community recognition statements to consider any messages from the Legislative Council regarding government business, including the option for the Speaker to leave and resume the chair on the ringing of one long bell. (2) The House to adjourn without motion moved. Motion agreed to. Documents DEPARTMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AND DEPARTMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES Reports Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: By leave: I move: That, if the House is not sitting, the reports of the Department of the Legislative Assembly and the Department of Parliamentary Services for the year ended 30 June 2020 be received by the Speaker and printed with the authority of the House. Motion agreed to. Committees STANDING COMMITTEE ON PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE AND ETHICS Reference Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: By leave: I move: That: (1) The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics conduct an inquiry into the adequacy of current procedures to protect parliamentary privilege in circumstances where law enforcement and investigative bodies seek to use coercive, intrusive and covert investigatory powers. (2) The committee's initial focus should be the operation of the agreement currently in place with the Independent Commission Against Corruption [ICAC], including: (a) the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] on search warrants between the Commissioner of the ICAC, the President of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the revisions proposed but not adopted in 2014; and (b) the protocol currently observed in relation to notices to produce information under s.22 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4899

(3) The committee evaluate the need for a memorandum of understanding to be entered into with the NSW Electoral Commission in relation to the investigation of possible offences and breaches of electoral, funding and disclosure, and lobbying laws. (4) The committee should examine any other relevant matter, in light of recent developments in other jurisdictions and also the reports of the Legislative Council's Privileges Committee, entitled Execution of search warrants by the Australian Federal Police, dated 13 October 2020, and Report No. 2, dated 18 November 2020. (5) A message be sent informing the Legislative Council of the terms of reference for the referred inquiry. Motion agreed to. Petitions PETITIONS RECEIVED The CLERK: I announce that the following paper petitions signed by more than 500 persons have been lodged for presentation: Gulgong Multi Purpose Service Petition noting that Gulgong Multi Purpose Service has been without a doctor for more than four months and calling on the Government to appoint a doctor to the Gulgong Multi Purpose Service as a matter of urgency, received from Mr Dugald Saunders. Social Housing Petition urging the Government to build 5,000 new social housing dwellings every year for the next 10 years to reduce homelessness and housing stress in New South Wales, received from Mr . Chester Hill Development Proposal Petition noting a planning proposal for the construction of a 633-unit high-density development at 1 Leicester Street, Chester Hill, and calling on the Government to uphold existing planning controls to ensure this planning proposal is rejected, received from Ms Tania Mihailuk. Motions CHRISTMAS FELICITATIONS Ms GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN (Willoughby—Premier) (15:21:47): I move: That this House take note of Christmas felicitations. There can be no doubt about what a difficult year it has been. There is not a single person in New South Wales who has not been impacted. Whether it was the bushfires, floods, natural disasters, drought or COVID, our citizens have been through a difficult period. This is reflected in the way in which we in this place conduct our business and our jobs. I take this opportunity to acknowledge every member of this place, irrespective of the political party they belong to or which part of the State they are from. I commend every member for doing their best to represent the hopes and aspirations and also the challenges and opportunities this year has brought our communities. First and foremost, I thank our emergency and front-line workers, who have supported the State during these difficult times. I thank the RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation, the police, the ambos and the SES. During the horrific bushfires and the subsequent natural disasters, every single man and woman in those organisations made a difference. We turn to them all the time but especially during this time of year we think about the sacrifices they made last year. We think about those families and friends who are still grieving loved ones who lost their lives during those horrific bushfires. We think of the volunteers and, of course, the overseas fighters who lost their lives in those horrific bushfires. I take this opportunity to thank all of our frontline workers who have supported the community through COVID. In health, I thank all of our nurses, doctors, midwives and frontline workers, our phenomenal public health unit in the health department who have served this State and our nation well in their contact tracing capacity, and the expert advice I have received on a daily basis—often two or three times a day—so that the Government can make the appropriate decisions when dealing with COVID. To the police, Service NSW staff, Department of Customer Service staff and all frontline workers, our State is indebted to you. I take the opportunity of Christmas felicitations to thank each and every one of them. Similarly, our Parliament has had to adjust the way in which we do things. In particular, I commend you, Mr Speaker, for making sure that the Legislative Assembly is a COVID-safe environment. You command the respect of all members of this place with the way in which you approach your responsibilities, support members in their professional development and bring a good sense of ethics to this place. I commend you for your efforts Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4900

and I commend your staff for doing an unbelievable job in supporting you. I acknowledge the Deputy Speaker and member for Port Macquarie; the Assistant Speaker and member for Oatley; the Leader of the House and Attorney General, who works night and day to make sure that the House functions properly; and the manager of Opposition business and member for Keira. I also acknowledge the leaders and deputy leaders in the other place. Often the people who are the glue that holds the Parliament together and support members are the Whips. I am so pleased that he is in the House now, because I particularly acknowledge work of the member for Terrigal, Mr Adam Crouch, who is a wonderful support to me personally and to all colleagues insofar as he ensures that the Parliament runs smoothly. I acknowledge his staff members for the work they do. I acknowledge the Deputy Government Whip and member for Heathcote, Mr Lee Evans, who supports the Government Whip; the Nationals Whip and member for Cootamundra, Ms , who does a great job; the Opposition Whip, and member for Shellharbour; and the Deputy Opposition Whip, and member for The Entrance. There are many individuals working hard behind the scenes to keep our Parliament functioning smoothly. The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Ms Helen Minnican, has the greatest patience of anybody I know. I am deeply grateful for her advice and the way in which she supports all our colleagues. I acknowledge the Deputy Clerk, Mr Leslie Gönye, and our Clerk-Assistant, Ms Carly Maxwell. I acknowledge the entire Hansard team. We do not make their jobs easy, but we deeply appreciate the way in which they turn our words into prose. It always reads better than it sounds. We deeply appreciate their efforts, and we know that will continue next year and beyond. I thank the Table Office, the committee secretariats and the parliamentary attendants, who support us in every which way and with great humility and respect for this place. We deeply appreciate their efforts. I acknowledge the parliamentary librarians; the workers from the Department of Parliamentary Services; our IT and support staff; our security and special constables; the NSW Police Force; and our facilities and catering staff, who take great care of us during those long hours. Most importantly this year, I acknowledge our cleaners and maintenance workers. Who would have thought that during COVID some of the most important people in our State would be our cleaning staff? I am incredibly proud of every single one of the cleaners in this place and those in the community who have kept our community safe. The members of the press gallery—the eyes and ears of all that goes on here—have had to adjust the way they do things. I appreciate each and every one of them and the role they have played in supporting the Government and getting information to our communities during these difficult times, especially during lockdown, when communities were relying on the media to provide them with accurate information and knowledge about what to do. Away from Parliament, each and every one of us draws on the support of our officers and I thank them all. I thank all our staff members, whether ministerial or electorate. Often when we are doing parliamentary business or undertaking other responsibilities our electorate staff are the conduit between us and our communities. Many electorate staff of long standing have been with their member for many years. I acknowledge each and every one of them and thank them for the contributions they make. I thank the departmental staff who support us. I would especially like to put on record my gratitude to the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Mr Tim Reardon, and the secretaries of the other departments. During COVID the Secretaries Board has been instrumental in ensuring that the public service, the Government and our frontline workers are working together to provide the best response and to continue that best response. The pandemic is far from over. I am incredibly proud of the way in which the public service, the Government, our frontline workers, the community and businesses have worked together to provide our citizens with the best hope of getting through this very difficult time. I thank all my parliamentary colleagues—every member of this place. In particular, I acknowledge the Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade, and Leader of The Nationals, the Hon. John Barilaro. John has continued to make an enormous contribution to this place and to regional New South Wales. We are so glad he is back and firing up, as ever. He has been a great advocate during COVID-19 and has certainly been a critical part of the Government's response. I thank our deputy leaders, in particular the Treasurer and the member for Bathurst. I commend the Treasurer for delivering what has been the most difficult but I believe most important budget in our State's history. While this year has been very difficult, we finish the year with much to be grateful for. This Christmas in New South Wales we will hopefully enjoy some freedoms and safety that people in other parts of the world do not have because of the difficult situations they are going through. It is a time when we think of family and of people having the opportunity to reunite with loved ones. We hope that everybody has a safe and prosperous time this year. I acknowledge the Leader of the Opposition and her team, and the members of the crossbench. Whilst we may not agree on a whole range of things, one thing we do agree on is that we are here, first and foremost, to serve our communities and provide equality of opportunity to all our citizens. I hope 2021 brings the hopes and aspirations of our citizens to light and is a less challenging, easier year for all. Again, I thank and commend all Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4901

those whom I have mentioned. I wish everybody a relaxing and COVID-safe break until we meet again in February. The SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, I want to apologise. I am seeing an ambassador at 3.30 p.m. I would normally stay in the chair but I will have to leave while the Leader of the Opposition is speaking. Ms JODI McKAY (Strathfield) (15:30:29): For many people across our State, Christmas this year cannot come soon enough. Families will be able to enjoy time together after many months of staying apart. Many people will be looking forward to taking a welcome break from the hard times and uncertainty we have gone through over the past 12 months. But this Christmas will also be a hard time for many people across our communities who are out of work or looking for work, and who are worried about putting food on the table, keeping a roof over their heads and being able to look after their families. It will be a hard time for those who have tragically lost family and friends in the COVID-19 pandemic and who will be spending Christmas without their loved ones. It will be a hard time for many families across our State, who will be facing the bitter memories of last summer's bushfires. People lost loved ones, homes, livestock, livelihoods and family heirlooms. What was meant to be a time for family, friends, rest and relaxation became a time of people huddling on beaches, clustered in evacuation centres and desperately trying to fight back the flames on fire fronts all the way from Eden to Evans Head. It will be a hard time for those communities battered by last summer's flooding, which are still recovering almost a year down the track. On behalf of my parliamentary colleagues, from the bottom of my heart I thank the thousands of health workers, cleaners, paramedics, nurses, doctors, police officers, transport workers and all other workers who did so much to protect the health of our community and keep our society running during the deadliest global pandemic since the Spanish flu of 1919. I thank the Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the SES, paramedics, the NSW Police Force and Australian Defence Force personnel, who gave their all to protect lives and property during last summer's terrible bushfire season. I pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice; my thoughts are with their families and friends, who will miss them terribly this Christmas. I thank the people of New South Wales as a whole for looking after one another during what has been a terrible year. We saw people from our cities supporting their fellow citizens in rural and regional New South Wales after the fires, and we saw the whole of the community work to comply with the public health orders and beat back the pandemic. I thank them for their care for their fellow citizens and for their patience during such difficult times. This year has also been difficult for our Parliament. With that in mind, Mr Speaker, I thank you, along with Madam Deputy Speaker and the Assistant Speaker, for your hard work and cooperation regarding COVID-safe proceedings in the House. I acknowledge the Temporary Speakers, , Greg Piper, Gurmesh Singh, Felicity Wilson and Lee Evans. Mr Speaker, I thank you for showing me a little leniency at times. It has been a difficult year and you do a fine job in your role. I sincerely thank you on behalf of the Opposition. I especially acknowledge the people who worked to keep this Parliament running in extraordinary circumstances over the course of 2020. I congratulate Ms Helen Minnican, our wonderful Clerk, on her 30 years of service; David Blunt, the Clerk of the other place, on his 30 years of service; Julie Langsworth, the Deputy CEO of the Department of Parliamentary Services, on her 25 years of service; and Simon Johnston, the Legislative Assembly Serjeant-at-Arms, on his 15 years of service. I thank the CEO, Mark Webb, for another year of service across the many operations of this building. I thank our wonderful Chamber support staff for all their work in keeping this Chamber running smoothly: Diane Chapman, Ian Delahunty, Danny Heldal, Hayley Jarrett, April Lowndes, Monica Parsotam and Peter Tuziak. This year Chamber tours have been few and far between. Like all of us, I hope we see the return of school groups, who usually visit this place. I extend my thanks to those working behind the scenes in the Legislative Assembly. I thank Carly Maxwell, John Young, Elspeth Dyer, John Hatfield, Rickee Murray, Chris Papadopoulos, Rohan Tyler, Thomas Isaksen and Natasha Zammit from the Table Office. The Opposition likes to throw the occasional spanner in the works. Their assistance in ensuring the smooth running of the Parliament is greatly appreciated. I thank the facilities team, without whom this building would literally not be able to function. I thank Pete Smith, Roger Yu, Lourdes Gutierrez, Miguel Romero, David Auert, Ralph Ewen, Song Charoenkitti and Patrick Dias for their work. This year has seen changes to the Parliament's cleaning practices and security arrangements beyond anything we have ever experienced. I make special mention of Ashok Kumar for his 15 years of service to the Parliament, and of Selma Wong and Irma Carrion for their 25 years of service. Last week I was delighted to join my deputy leader, Yasmin Catley, to present Irma with flowers to celebrate that wonderful milestone. I also extend deep thanks to our Information Technology Services team. In a year where everyone in this place had to adapt to working from home and holding meetings by Zoom and Webex, Helen Johnston and her team of Marcelo de Oliveira, Stephen Smith and Luke Marshall have helped us all adjust to those new ways of working. I thank Helen for putting up with my many Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4902

calls. I also thank Annette O'Callaghan and her team at the NSW Parliamentary Counsel. In Opposition we have achieved much this year in amending legislation. That would not be possible without the support, the advice and the quick work of Annette and her team, for which we are deeply grateful. We know that it is not always easy to give Opposition members precedence but Annette and her team never made us feel unimportant to the work that happens in this place. I extend my deep thanks to our catering team: Kylie Cook, Lubo Varga, Chandelle Adams, Anong Vichapol, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Page, Gary Chan, Vanessa Harcourt, Emily Garland and Sunny Modi and their management team of Carlos Andrade and Lee Kwiez. With parliamentary sittings suspended, limited functions being booked and large numbers of members and staff working offsite for large parts of the year, the catering team has had to adapt more than most. In particular, I thank them for their incredible work with OzHarvest throughout the pandemic. I acknowledge specifically Carmen Vella for her 35 years of service in the parliamentary library; Gary Chan for his 25 years of service in the public cafe and bar; and Danny Heldal for his 20 years of service in the Chamber. I acknowledge every other member of the library, information services, Hansard, Chamber support and catering teams for the work they do every day, including our wonderful Special Constables, who still deserve a pay rise. I thank my wonderful deputy leader, Yasmin Catley; the manager of Opposition business and member for Keira, Ryan Park; and all my Labor colleagues. This has been a year like no other but we have fought the good fight alongside our trade union movement and those in the Labor Party's rank and file. I also acknowledge the Government Whips—the member for Terrigal and the member for Cootamundra—and, of course, the Leader of the House and member for Cronulla. I thank the Labor leadership team in the Legislative Council, including the Hon. , the Hon. , the Hon. , the Hon. and the Hon. Anthony D'Adam for their work in holding the Government to account, along with every other Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. I thank the member for Shellharbour and Opposition Whip, Anna Watson, for her work over the course of the year, along with the member for The Entrance and Deputy Whip, David Mehan. I also thank Colleen Symington in the Opposition Whip's office who is the backbone of our operation in the Legislative Assembly. I pay tribute to all the staff in my office who have worked through this extraordinary year: my chief of staff Stephen Fitzpatrick, deputy chief of staff Matthew McLean, Pia Brunner, Nicole Chettle, Josh Wright, Edward Ovadia, Morgan Campbell, Leon Fry-Kontaxis, Rebecca Davis, Ash Witoslawski, Roland Kay-Smith, Mitch Wright, Sravya Abbineni—she will be watching this—Michael Ng, Jenny Williams and Lucy Margeit. I also thank my driver, Domenic Mirarchi, for his tireless efforts to get me where I need to be, even though most of the time I am running late. I thank my wonderful electorate office staff. Oh my goodness! I could not survive without them. I love them and I am deeply appreciative of everything they do and of the care that they give to so many people in my electorate. I thank Jacqui Thorburn, Maryanne Duggan, Riki Chiba, Joanne Mai, Alison Chen and Jonah Bechara for everything that they do for me and for the people of Strathfield. I also acknowledge the press gallery. I was quite relieved that we did not have the press gallery drinks the night before I gave my budget-in-reply speech. I thank them for being a great press gallery and also for giving us a hard time when we need it. Of course, I wish the Premier and the Deputy Premier and their families a happy Christmas. I thank them for their work over the course of the pandemic. I thank my wonderful husband who supports, encourages and feeds me. No-one in this place needs feeding more than I do because I do not and cannot cook. I hope every member of this place gets to spend plenty of time with their loved ones over the summer break and has a restful holiday season. I look forward to seeing everyone in 2021. I thank the House. Mr JOHN BARILARO (Monaro—Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade, and Deputy Premier) (15:40:24): Given the year we have all had, it is a great feeling to be at the end of another year in Parliament, speaking on Christmas felicitations. I echo what has been said by the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition. I acknowledge that it has been a very big year for the State of New South Wales, particularly for regional New South Wales. Through the battle with drought and the terrible bushfires over last Christmas and the new year and now through the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been unexpected and difficult. But New South Wales is a strong State and its people have dealt with each challenge with resilience and compassion, supporting each other and our communities through it all. I am truly proud to represent the people of this great State and to have the opportunity to call regional New South Wales home. It is true that this year has been called "unprecedented" many times. The events of this year may well be studied in our history books in years to come. In February, as we emerged from the bushfire season and started work towards recovery, suddenly we encountered a global and unprecedented pandemic. The work of this State and, indeed, of the entire country has been remarkable. I commend the leadership team of this Government and all governments for their work during the pandemic. In particular, I commend the Premier and Minister Hazzard, who have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and health of the citizens of New South Wales. I commend the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4903

Treasurer, who delivered a nation-leading budget this week to help us recover from the economic effects that the year has thrown at us. With their help, we have delivered a budget that delivers for the whole State. Its focus on regional and rural New South Wales will erase the dark days of early 2020—the fires, the drought and, of course, the pandemic—to set up the regions for future prosperity. Most importantly, I recognise the hard work and resilience of the residents of regional New South Wales, who have dealt with lockdowns, border closures, labour shortages during harvest season and international trade disagreements. Throughout all of that, they have kept going. In particular, it is important to recognise their role in providing our State with the essential products and services that have got us through the pandemic. They have kept the power on and food on the table. They have even kept us in good supply of toilet paper when we needed it most. I pay tribute to the staff of the Parliament, without whom this place would simply not function. In particular, I thank the Legislative Assembly Clerk, Helen Minnican, her deputy and the staff of the committees and Table offices. I thank the Hansard staff who are often here with us working late to make us look and sound better than we are. I also recognise the work of all Department of Parliamentary Services staff. Many people work to keep this place running and they do so exceptionally: the maintenance and cleaning teams, the caterers, the Parliamentary Library, the attendants and the Special Constables. I thank them for the work they do to keep us and this place safe. I thank the hardworking Liberals and Nationals members of this Government, led by our great Premier. I know we have had our tough moments this year. Like every family does, we lay out our grievances, but I am grateful each and every day to have the opportunity to build on those relationships and to work with such passionate advocates for the people of New South Wales. I look forward to everything we can achieve over the next two years together. I also thank my Nationals leadership team for their loyal friendship and counsel. In particular, I thank my deputy leader, Paul Toole, who stepped up in my absence. I acknowledge my colleagues in the other place, particularly the Hon. and the Hon. , without whom we could not achieve what we have achieved for the regions. I thank my National Party colleagues and their families, who make great sacrifices for us to sit here in the Chamber, as we spend long periods away from home in order to travel to this place to serve our communities as members of Parliament. I thank the Speaker and member for Davidson, the Deputy Speaker and member for Port Macquarie, the Leader of the House and member for Cronulla, and the Government Whips, Adam Crouch and Steph Cooke, for all they do to keep this place running smoothly. I thank all members in this place on the crossbench and in Opposition, especially the Leader of the Opposition, and wish them the best over the Christmas season. I sincerely thank the staff at the NSW Nationals head office, led by Joe Lundy, for the support they show our parliamentarians and The Nationals membership. I also thank my ministerial staff, ably led day in, day out by my great chief of staff, Siobhan Hamblin, and my deputy chief of staff, Jeff McCormack. I have so many wonderful staff and I wish I could name them all. I give a special shout-out to Olivia Graham, who delivers the funding to the regions and works with our members through the Expenditure Review Committee. She fights the Treasurer's office to make sure that regional and rural New South Wales gets its fair share. In my mind, Liv Graham is the staff member in my office that we cannot do without. They do an outstanding job and put in a huge effort. They make coming to work every day a highlight. I am grateful for their counsel but, most importantly, their friendship. Finally, I thank the residents of Monaro who continue to put their faith in me, and my hardworking electorate staff, exceptionally led by Sarah Bannerman. I look forward to going home to spend time with my family over the Christmas break but I am coming back to hit the ground running in the new year. I am in the best possible position in this place. I know I am biased when I say that I get to travel to the most beautiful regions of New South Wales and meet with the best people. For me, regional New South Wales cannot be beat. It is the best place to live, work and thrive. I also acknowledge my family—my girls—who do without and who end up with a broken version of me at the end of each week as I spend time away here in Parliament and across the State. I have had my issues this year, which were widely published, but I am stronger for it. Without their support I would not be here today. Without the support of many in this House, who have reached out to me, I would not be here today. It is easy at times to take for granted our physical and mental health. This Christmas my wish and prayer for everybody is good health across the board. I wish everyone in this place and across the State a merry Christmas and a happy new year. May 2021 be a year in which we achieve even greater things for the people of New South Wales and we continue to do it together. Ms YASMIN CATLEY (Swansea) (15:47:06): Every year has its challenges but this year has presented a range of unique obstacles, thanks to the global pandemic we are still grappling with. It has put things in Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4904

perspective for many of us and a reminder of what is truly important: our health, our families and our communities. I hope we all finish the year in Parliament with a sense of perspective about who we are here to serve and why. I also hope we commence next year with renewed motivation to produce the best outcomes for the people we represent around this wonderful State. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the work of the Parliament, just as it has impacted all workplaces. It has changed the way that we do our jobs in this place and how we engage with members of our community in our electorates. Many parliamentary staff have been on reduced hours as a result of the lockdown and restrictions, and I acknowledge that this has been a difficult time for them. We have been conscious of the challenges for parliamentary staff and many of us have fought internally for people to be redeployed and kept working, wherever possible. In the midst of those challenges, parliamentary staff pivoted to do some good for people in need. The member for Keira and I wrote to the Speaker to suggest that the parliamentary catering team be kept working—as they were by the Andrews Government in the Victorian Parliament—by cooking meals for the homeless. I am pleased to inform the House that they have now cooked more than 92,000 meals under that arrangement and improved the lives of hundreds of vulnerable people across the city. That has kept the catering team working hard during a time when hospitality workers were some of the hardest hit workers in our economy. I thank them so much for their efforts. At the end of this turbulent year, I honour all those who work in and around the Parliament. I thank Government and Opposition members and Ministers, the leaders of the various parties, the Speaker, the Temporary Speakers, the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the House and the Government and Opposition Whips. I also thank all of my colleagues. There are many people who work tirelessly to keep this ship afloat day after day. Firstly, I thank Colleen Symington from the Opposition Whip's office for her support in bringing order to the madness and making sure we are all in the House on time. I also note the work of Mitchell Wright for his contribution on sitting days to the running of Opposition business in the Chamber. I recognise the expertise and devotion of Trish Marinozzi from the Opposition Whip's office in the Legislative Council. The New South Wales Labor Party depends on Trish and she is someone without whom the significant and important work of the Opposition in the upper House would not be a success. I acknowledge the hard work of the Clerk's team, including Helen Minnican, Leslie Gönye, Jonathan Elliott, Carly Maxwell and Simon Johnston. I especially acknowledge the significant milestones of Helen Minnican and Simon Johnston, who have served the Parliament for 30 years and 15 years respectively. To that end, I also acknowledge the Clerk of the Legislative Council, David Blunt, on serving 30 years in the Parliament. I thank the Legislative Assembly reception staff and attendants, including April Lowndes, Danny Heldal— who has served 20 years with the Parliament this year—as well as Monica, Hayley and Ian. Chris Papadopoulos and Peter Tuziak from the Legislative Assembly team have also been doing work upstairs with the procedures team at the Legislative Assembly Table office, and I acknowledge the significant and tireless contributions made by Natasha, Tom, John and Chris and their director of procedure, John Young. I thank the library staff for the incredibly important work they do. They have had a tumultuous year with the library being rebuilt and they have done a terrific job. Probably more than most in this place, I know the importance of their work and I value it. I remind my colleagues on both sides of the Chamber of the contribution that they make not only to this building but also to the development and refinement of the policies and legislation that we produce in this place. I particularly acknowledge Carmen Vella in the library team, who has given 35 years of service to the Parliament. I congratulate her on that milestone. I also thank Lisa Gelzinnis and the rest of the Hansard team, who work so hard. Without them, democracy does not reign. Without the timely and accurate work of Hansard, Parliament would not be nearly as democratic and transparent a place. The services of Hansard must be bolstered and improved, not watered down, and I will continue to fight for that. Hansard workers do long, irregular and unpredictable hours and they are a skilled, specialist workforce without whom the Parliament could not function. I also thank the information technology team for running the operations and systems that enable us to work efficiently. Helen Johnston in particular has an enthusiastic and can-do attitude. She is always helpful and available. I thank her whole team, who are always pleasant and patient, even when my requests are challenging. I thank the building services and maintenance team, including the carpenter Peter Smith, as well as Roger, Ashok and Justin. I acknowledge that Ashok Kumar has served 15 years with the Parliament and I thank him for his contribution in building and upgrading the telecommunications systems—not once, but twice—within the Parliament over that time. I thank Carlos and Lee and their staff in the catering team. I especially thank Kylie Cook, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Chandelle Adams and Lubo Varga for the work they do and the friendly, welcoming and patient way they do it. I see them every morning when I walk in and without my coffee this place would be very different. I also pause to acknowledge the 25 years of service from Gary Chan in the cafe and bar. He is always smiling. I thank him and congratulate him. I particularly thank the cleaners for their hard work every day in this place. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4905

I am very fortunate to spend time each morning with the wonderful Irma Carrion, who works on level 10 in the cleaning team. I know from my parliamentary colleagues that the cleaning staff are valued and appreciated right across this building. A number of the cleaning staff have served here for many, many years. Irma has provided 25 years of dedicated service, and so too have Selma and Gloria. These hardworking, dedicated members of the Parliament House team are valued and respected for the contributions they make and I thank and congratulate them all. I also thank the work of the Special Constables, like Glenn Scott and Jodie Mitchell, who protect this building at all hours of every day. There are too many of them to name individually, but we thank them very much for keeping us safe. I also pass on my sincere thanks and wish a merry Christmas to the members of the Press Gallery. The Fourth Estate is an essential institution. I am glad they are here to report on the events of Parliament to keep the public informed and, most importantly, to hold power to account. I am grateful to all of my Labor colleagues for their support and friendship through the year. I thank them for their support and encouragement during my first year as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party. I wish all of my colleagues a very merry Christmas. In particular, I thank Jodi McKay for her leadership and dedication. I hope that Jodi is able to find time to relax and unwind, and to spend some quality time with her family. In particular, I thank and wish a merry Christmas to all of the people in Swansea who have given me the honour of serving them in this place. I offer my sincerest thanks, and best wishes and wish a merry Christmas to my staff: my political adviser, Tom Harris-Brassil, here in Parliament, as well as my electorate office team of Victoria Jack, Cheryl Murphy, Matthew McMullen, Joseph Steel and Jenny Dalziel. I am so grateful for all they do to keep the electorate office running smoothly and the support that they provide to our local community. To that end, I acknowledge the significant contribution made by all electorate officers in every member's office, because without our staff we cannot do our job. Our electorate offices are often the first port of call for vulnerable people in distress who need assistance, and they are an essential public service. Finally, I acknowledge all those in this place and all around the State who will be working over the Christmas period, especially those in the public sector who keep our society moving and our communities safe during the 12 months of rolling disasters and crises. This has been an incredibly difficult and testing period for all of us. I hope people will find time in their busy work schedules to spend time with their families and loved ones during the festive season. Madam Deputy Speaker, Labor colleagues, crossbench members, Government members and parliamentary staff, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Debate interrupted. Petitions SYDNEY BUS SERVICES The DEPUTY SPEAKER: It being close to 4.00 p.m., Christmas felicitations are interrupted for consideration of the petition signed by 10,000 or more persons listed on the Business Paper, with the first debate to be on the petition regarding bus service cuts, lodged by the member for Maroubra. Before we commence the first debate, and for the benefit of the public who are listening online, I take this opportunity to explain the process and rationale behind this unique debate. It is unique because it enables the public to bring their concerns directly to the attention of the House. The intent of this procedure is that the petition debate will start with a speech from the member which, in most cases, will be the member who lodged the petition, followed by four other members and then by a Minister in response and, to conclude the debate, the first speaker will speak in reply. After all members have spoken, the House will vote on the question that the House take note of the petition. This question will, in most cases, be determined on the voices and be passed. However, if this is challenged by a member, it may proceed to a division, where the bells are rung and members vote on the motion to take note of the petition by sitting on the appropriate side of the House. The question is that the House take note of the petition. Mr MICHAEL DALEY (Maroubra) (15:58:21): The petition that we are discussing this afternoon states: This petition of concerned residents and commuters brings to the attention of the House our strong community opposition to the NSW Government's plans to cut 16 bus routes from our area – the equivalent of removing 1600 buses from the network each weekday. Mr Tim Crakanthorp: Shame! Mr MICHAEL DALEY: It is a shame. It then goes into all of the routes that will be completely cancelled, but I will speak about those shortly. First, I thank the residents of the electorate of Maroubra, my fellow residents, Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4906

for signing this petition. It is no easy feat to circulate a petition and in quick time garner 10,000 signatures, which enables it to be brought to the floor of this House. But when we consider that last week my colleague the member for Coogee also brought a similar petition with well over 10,000 signatures to this House, and the member for Heffron, who will also speak on this petition today, has been doing the same sort of activity, it speaks of a great unrest in the Eastern Suburbs, in our communities, in our homes, about what the Government is doing to transport services in our area. Consider that in the year 2020 we will soon have worse transport outcomes than we did five, 10, 15 or 20 years ago—I know; I still catch the buses into Parliament House from time to time. The people in my area love the buses. Much has been said about the difficulties that COVID has brought upon communities, but it has also brought some opportunities. One of the opportunities that COVID has brought to our community has been a real-life and live instant comparison between the light rail and the buses, which we all love. Currently, we have the buses running concurrently with the light rail, despite the fact that the Government said it cannot be done, it will not be done and it should not be done. It is being done and we want to keep it being done. At the moment, even at the height of COVID when people are being told to socially distance, the buses are full. People are voting with their feet; they are on the buses with their masks on. They would rather take the risk sitting on a bus with other commuters than have to hop on the light rail. It does not matter what time of day you stand along any part of Alison Road or Anzac Parade and have a look at the light rail, it is the longest tram in the world and it is also the least-used tram in the world. There is no-one on it; there is one person per tram. The commuters of our area have already made their choice and they are saying loud and clear: Do not make us catch the light rail. The light rail was over time, it was over budget and it destroyed many businesses along the route right through to Surry Hills: They have not recovered and they will not recover. In addition, if you catch the bus into the city now you can hop on at La Perouse. From the furthest reach of our realm you can still get to the city in 30 or 40 minutes on a bus at any time of day. Hop on a light rail at one o'clock in the morning and it will still take you 55 minutes to get to Circular Quay. It is a dog. As I have said in this House, that is not my phrase for it; that is the transport Minister's description of it. When he took over the portfolio from the hapless former transport Minister, who now happens to have been promoted to the position of Premier, he called it a dog and asked his department to see if he could cancel the contract. The answer came back "No," and that is the crux of what the people of Maroubra, Coogee and Heffron are suffering. This is not a better transport outcome. This was a bad decision made by Barry O'Farrell from Opposition in an unsuccessful attempt to defend former member for Coogee Bruce Notley-Smith from Marjorie O'Neill—as if that juggernaut was ever going to be stopped—and now we are stuck with a 15-year contract that provides a worse service. So here we are in 2020 and when Elon Musk is signing contracts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to send people to Mars, within our area we get worse transport outcomes than we did when I was a little boy in shorts at Maroubra Beach. How the hell, $3 billion later, can you get a worse transport outcome? What made me laugh is that the budget came out this week. I picked it up and for Maroubra the budget is paper thin. This is what we are getting for transport: $251,000 to complete a design for bus priority infrastructure on Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction. What is that? A lick of paint on the road? They are getting rid of the buses and they are giving us $251,000 for buses that go nowhere. [Time expired.] Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (16:03:36): I thank the member for Maroubra for allowing me to make a contribution today—nay, I say a tribute to buses today. I brought a model of one of my favourite buses here today, one of the great innovations of this Liberal-Nationals Government, the B-Line, because my community, like the member for Maroubra's community, loves its buses—even more so than the member for Maroubra's community because the last census statistics show that about 40 per cent of my community use public transport compared with about 20 per cent of his community. I would say that has significantly increased with the additional investments of this Government in his electorate. The member for Maroubra can say thank you—we would appreciate that. Before I speak more about how great this Government has been for public transport, and how much we love it, I want to speak about buses as my tribute to my almost two-year-old daughter, Eleanor, who is obsessed with them. Even when she is undertaking active transport as we walk along Military Road, she is shouting out, "Bus!" left, right and centre. "Yellow bus!" "Blue bus!" "Red bus!" She loves her buses. We love our buses in the electorate of North Shore. I thank the member for Maroubra for allowing me to make this tribute today on behalf of my daughter, Eleanor. As I said, my community has some of the highest public transport use—buses, trains, ferries and we are soon to have the metro too. We love the extra services and investment occurring throughout our transport network and in my local community. For those opposite, that is record investment. Those opposite may not have noticed that this year's budget is making record investments, which means investments like those never before seen. Just so we are clear, that means Labor never, ever, ever—ever—spent as much on public transport as this Government Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4907

is today and has in the years leading up to now. Labor never invested anything near the extent of the expenditure of the Berejiklian Government. Who are the parties—because we are a coalition—for public transport? We are, the Liberals and The Nationals. But I love that those opposite want to give us this opportunity to talk about it. I love hearing from those opposite when they carp and complain, because they are never entirely sure about the attitude to public transport investment. Because we are making the investment, they want to criticise, complain and carp. I am not sure if it is part of what they think their job description is or if the negativity is just in their nature. But I am a positive individual and I am positive about this Government and its investment in public transport systems and infrastructure, and so is my community. I want to talk through a couple of the examples of Labor's attitude towards public transport. We know those opposite carp and complain about us. We know they criticise light rail in south-east Sydney, in Newcastle and in Parramatta—and then they ask for more of it. They ask for it to be extended. They did not want it but now they want more of it, so they are not really sure of what they want. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member for Swansea will come to order. The member will have an opportunity to contribute to the debate. Ms FELICITY WILSON: But then I think back to those projects that Labor backed, the Labor legacy, shall we say? Let's talk about the Labor legacy in public transport. When Labor was in Government it promised 12 rail lines, it had nine transport master plans, it had six transport Ministers but sadly, at the end of the day, after 16 years of failure it delivered only half a rail line at twice the cost. That is the Epping to Parramatta rail line, which was meant to be all the way from Chatswood to Parramatta. It was half done and twice the price. Let's think back to the CBD Metro. Do those opposite remember the CBD Metro? They liked the concept of metro before we delivered it. That was half a billion dollars wasted before Labor ended up scrapping it and not proceeding with it. Labor complains about public transport investments from our Government but I think it is probably just a little bit of jealousy and a little bit of concern because we are able to deliver projects for people not just in my community with the wonderful B-Line and the Sydney Metro but also across Sydney and New South Wales. When we talk about Labor waste we can also talk about a number of different examples because those opposite had a whole pile of train lines they chose to cancel. Those opposite supposedly invested in the Chatswood to Parramatta rail line. They wasted $100 million on the T-card. That is okay—we brought out the Opal card and did the job for them. They handed back $81 million to the Commonwealth for the west metro because they reneged on it. They wasted almost half a billion dollars on the CBD or Rozelle metro. Those opposite also failed to introduce air conditioning on trains that they had committed to on the 30-year-old non-air-conditioned trains. They only had about 72 per cent of the services air-conditioned, including in their own communities. Only half of the and Bankstown line services were air-conditioned and there were no Cumberland or Carlingford line services air-conditioned. Labor likes to talk the talk and attack this Coalition Government but we are the ones who love public transport. We are the ones with record investments in public transport for our communities and for theirs, and we will never resile from that. Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (16:08:43): I thank the member for Maroubra for tabling this important petition. Now more than 80,000 have signed petitions in New South Wales voicing their concern and discontent against this State Government's cuts to public transport. I thank all the residents of Coogee and around the Eastern Suburbs and people across New South Wales who have signed our petitions. I also thank the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and Unions NSW for their great advocacy for our constituents who desperately love these buses. I speak today on behalf of constituents in my electorate—people like Lindsay, a 76-year-old from my electorate who visited my office to tell her story of what the loss of the 373 from Coogee to Circular Quay would mean to her. Most weeks Lindsay takes the bus to access cultural activities in the city because the 373 bus travels from Circular Quay via Museum. She is able to walk to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Sydney, the Museum of Contemporary Art and performances at the Sydney Opera House. She meets her two friends there and these trips are a big part of her social life and mean that she can stay vitally connected to her social groups. Losing this bus service will have a big consequence for Lindsay. She will need to take a bus to Randwick, cross several streets and wait for the light rail to take her to Circular Quay. The return journey home will take her an additional 20 minutes. Lindsay has also mentioned that she does not feel safe changing between the buses and the light rail either at Central or at Randwick Junction. If the 373 bus service disappears, it will have a huge impact on thousands of people just like Lindsay. This is just one bus service, and 16 bus services are slated to be removed, each with thousands of regular customers with their own individual story. Bianca is a small business owner in Randwick whose business was directly impacted by the years of light rail construction when Randwick became a no-go zone. Even now, as it is finished, she faces cuts to the bus services that bring clients to her salon and ensure her staff can turn up to work on time. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4908

Els is a resident of Coogee who came to see me to express her extreme concern and anxiety over the pending bus cuts. Els is visually impaired and cannot drive. She is completely reliant on the local services for her independent travel to access her medical appointments, attend social events and engage with her community. The loss of these bus services will do far more than just inconvenience Els. It will critically impact her independence, which will dramatically reduce her quality of life. Currently, the buses come to Els but with the lost bus service she will need to go to the light rail. Upon meeting Els, I wanted to do my own research over the disability accessibility of the light rail so I asked a couple of questions on notice. The first one was: Are there guards and/or support staff located at each light rail stop to support those who have a disability and other passengers needing support or assistance? The answer was that customer service officers are available across key locations during peak times. So at the majority of the stations for the majority of the time no-one is there to help the people that need the help. That is great! So billions of dollars have been spent on public transport infrastructure that is not disability accessible. That sounds fair, doesn't it! I get it. I understand that this Government is running a protection racket for the Premier and it needs to justify the spend of this dog piece of infrastructure. I understand that the only way those opposite can justify it is by forcing people onto it, a piece of infrastructure that no-one wants to use. Why would they? It is double the travel time of the existing bus services. It does not take people where they need to go and it is unsafe, as we have just seen. It has no lifeguards on it and from day dot it has broken down. Within hours it had its first breakdown. Even for the New Year's Test it had a breakdown. It broke down twice. In my office we were able to get real-time information about this breakdown, as one of my wonderful staff, Jeremy, was trapped on the light rail. He was able to provide us with real-time information about the dangerous temperatures in the light rail as it was travelling. He missed the first ball of the test as well—what a shame! Most recently, just last week, there was a huge malfunction when electricity infrastructure shattered a window. The electricity infrastructure smashed through a front window on the light rail service. After years of enduring disruptive construction, the public was promised world-class light rail services but what they have been given is a complete and utter joke. No-one wants to catch the light rail, and rightly so. It is unsafe, it is slow and it does not go where people need to go. The Government has a responsibility to make the lives of people better. Removing those buses without any community consultation is doing the exact opposite. The Government is making the lives of people worse. People like Els who depend on these buses will have their independence stripped from them. Keep your hands off our buses and stay out of the Eastern Suburbs. Mrs (Mulgoa) (16:13:55): I am pleased to contribute to debate on this petition in relation to bus changes. It is well known that from 25 October bus services across Sydney and surrounding areas have changed. Some of those changes included new faster services on Parramatta Road and extra services on key routes, as well as almost 1,000 additional weekly bus services for the inner west. More than 530 additional weekly bus services were introduced in other areas, with many services added in the early morning and evening on some routes. Some minor changes to bus stop arrangements along Anzac Parade in Kensington were also included. The changes will improve the frequency of services on key routes, improve travel times and give customers more choice around when they travel. Some routes will be withdrawn. The M10 and M50 are two routes that extend from the inner west to the Eastern Suburbs. Less than 4 per cent of customers on these routes travel between these two regions, and with other frequent bus and light rail services customers will be served better by using those buses on other routes. Customers travelling between the inner west and the CBD will have access to frequent services along Parramatta Road and Victoria Road, while other bus routes and light rail services between the CBD and Eastern Suburbs run every five to 10 minutes. The CBD and South East Light Rail light rail passenger services are now operating on both the L2 Randwick line and the L3 Kingsford line. Regular services are running around every four minutes between Circular Quay and Moore Park, and around every eight minutes between Moore Park and Randwick and Moore Park and Kingsford in the 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. peak on weekdays. It also provides public transport to important health precincts for workers and the community. The 12-kilometre route features 19 stops, extending from Circular Quay along George Street to Central Station, and through Surry Hills to Moore Park precinct, which includes the Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium. After this, it travels to Kensington and Kingsford via Anzac Parade, and to Randwick via Alison Road and High Street, taking in the racecourse, the University of New South Wales and the Prince of Wales Hospital. The stops are designed to service major transport hubs and create easy interchange points with buses, trains, ferries and the Inner West Light Rail. Each light rail service can carry around 450 passengers, which is as many as up to nine standard buses. [Opposition members interjected.] That there is the difference between Labor's perception of what government does with infrastructure versus the Liberal-Nationals Government's perception. How do they build infrastructure? Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4909

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Coogee has had her chance to contribute to the debate. Mrs TANYA DAVIES: Those members opposite actually want to build for the population that we have right now, whereas this Government builds with vision. Believe it or not, this city is actually going to grow by another million people. We are building and futureproofing our network for the coming community. [Opposition members interjected.] The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! The member for Coogee will come to order. Mrs TANYA DAVIES: With Sydney's population set to increase by another million people over the next 10 years, transport capacity needs to grow and flex. The new Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail play a key role in enabling the city's future transport needs by transporting thousands of customers between the CBD and Randwick or Kingsford in the south-eastern suburbs. Transport for NSW is developing a new integrated south-east light rail and bus plan. A combined bus and light rail network will significantly improve public transport across the health precinct in Randwick, the University of NSW, TAFE and other major sporting and entertainment facilities at Moore Park and Randwick. Additional light rail services will provide extra capacity for major events. Before any changes are made to the south-east bus network, Transport for NSW is continuing to monitor customer travel behaviour following the opening of the L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford light rail lines. This includes considering the impact of COVID-19 on travel behaviour. More than 2,000 additional weekly bus services will be added in Sydney's northern beaches and lower North Shore in December. The new services include overnight B-Line services operating between Mona Vale and the Sydney CBD for the first time, and buses operating every 10 minutes on key routes as part of the creation of an all-day frequent network operating throughout the day, seven days a week, including between Dee Why and Chatswood. The new frequent routes operating every 10 minutes across the day, seven days a week, include route 100—Mosman to City, route 144—Manly to Chatswood via St Leonards and others. The new B-Line overnight services will be introduced, operating every 30 minutes seven days a week between Mona Vale and the CBD between midnight and 4.00 a.m. I could go on and on about the vast array of services that this Government is providing to meet not only the current but the future needs of the growing city of Sydney. Mr (Heffron) (16:19:05): The Government's response to this petition indicates that it is a tired, deteriorating 10-year-old Government. Unfortunately, it is demonstrating the incompetence and arrogance of ageing governments dying like the embers of a discarded fire. In the last several months some 30,000 people, chiefly from the electorate of Coogee, signed a petition concerned about the loss of their bus services. Where is the transport Minister? Where is the courtesy and respect from the transport Minister to respond to 30,000 people? The Minister is not here in the Chamber. I will tell members what demonstrates this arrogance. The electorate of Coogee, represented by Dr O'Neill, is a must-win seat for whoever wants to be the government of the day. Ms : No, we govern without it. Mr RON HOENIG: It is a must-win seat. It is arrogance to dismiss tens of thousands of people from Coogee. No-one makes that political decision. Members would think that the Minister would at least stand in the House and respond to that significant portion of people. But what does the Government do? It sends down the member for North Shore, who represents Mosman, to try to give an explanation to the people of Coogee as to why it should cancel its Mercedes-Benz buses, while Government members get into their own Mercedes S-Class cars to drive to wherever they want to go. I talk to members not only about the Government's arrogance but also its incompetence. On behalf of her constituents the member for Coogee—one of the outstanding local members in this House—took it upon herself to write to the transport Minister with her concerns about the loss of bus services with the withdrawal of routes M10 and M50. The response she received, dated 10 November, states: A number of travel options remain available throughout the day for customers traveling between the Eastern Suburbs to the CBD or Central Station. Customers currently using route M10 in Maroubra, Kingsford or Kensington— in my electorate of Heffron— can access frequent services on routes 391, 392, 393,394, L94, 395 … 373 … 376, 377 … This letter of a week ago to the member for Coogee was signed by the for Transport and Roads, Eleni Petinos. Those are the buses that the Government is cancelling! That is indicative of an incompetence that goes through dying and ageing governments. Apart from the services that it cut to my electorate, the worst part about the Government's decision-making process is that it is doing it in the middle of a pandemic on the hope and prayer that people will get into that empty tram—that $3 billion pilot project that does not work and that breaks down. People do not get onto it. No wonder Infrastructure NSW recommended against it. But the then transport Minister, and now Premier, went ahead and spent, firstly, $1.2 billion, $1.6 billion and, now, $3 billion on a project that does not work. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4910

The member for North Shore represents Milsons Point and Kirribilli. She represents Luna Park. Let her take the light rail and move it to Luna Park to replace the ghost train—because that is all it is good for. Quite frankly, and realistically, if the Government believed that changing modes of transport between buses and this light rail actually worked, it would wait, would it not, until after the pandemic. It would wait to see, before it changed services, how it could integrate them efficiently. In normal situations some 50,000 people go to the University of New South Wales; they are not going there now. Before the pandemic there were tens of thousands of people on Anzac Parade in Kensington leaving that university in the morning and the afternoon. The Government cannot make these decisions now. [Time expired.] Ms ELENI PETINOS (Miranda) (16:24:21): I am delighted that Opposition members actually read the correspondence that Government members send them, although at this point I acknowledge that I am a poor substitute for the Minister. Ms Yasmin Catley: I don't think you do. Ms ELENI PETINOS: I am saying to Opposition members what I have said in response to every other petition on buses: The New South Wales Government is committed to delivering the best possible public transport network for our customers and that means delivering more services when and where they are needed. As outlined in the CBD and South East Light Rail Environmental Impact Statement in 2013, bus services in Sydney's south-east will be adjusted to reflect changed customer travel patterns while express bus services will be retained to complement the light rail. Planning for these changes is ongoing and is being informed by Opal data, changed customer travel patterns and feedback. The detailed plan has not been finalised and will be released to the public for feedback in 2021. However, I am advised that customer demand for public transport in Sydney's south-east has grown significantly in recent years, and the new integrated light rail and bus transport plan will provide much-needed capacity for those travelling into and out of the Sydney CBD. Public transport capacity between the CBD and the south-east has increased with the introduction of the CBD and South East Light Rail. Our plan for an integrated light rail and bus network will cater for this growth, including extra capacity where it is needed most. Early modelling shows that overall capacity of a redesigned bus and light rail network will be increased by more than 30 per cent in the morning peak. Any changes to bus routes and timetables are designed to improve the frequency of services on key routes and give customers more choice around how and when they travel. To help reduce duplication on the network and improve efficiency, some routes may be replaced by new routes or extra services on other routes, modifications to existing routes and more express services. Again, the detailed bus plan for Sydney's south-eastern suburbs has not been finalised and any planned changes will be informed by customer feedback, Opal data and changed customer travel patterns. Before any changes are made customers in Sydney's south-east can be assured that they will be informed of any modifications to their services. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Ms ELENI PETINOS: We expect this plan to be released next year for public feedback before any changes are refined and rolled out. This will ensure that customers, the community and stakeholders are involved in the development of the network where possible and are adequately informed of the proposed changes. I appreciate the community's patience as this Government works to deliver a transport system to keep pace with Sydney's current and future transport needs. I am very disappointed we will not be here to do yet another bus petition next week. Mr MICHAEL DALEY (Maroubra) (16:27:11): In reply: I thank the members for Coogee and Heffron for assisting the people of Maroubra in debate on this petition. It is disappointing that the Minister for Transport and Roads is not present in the Chamber, despite the discussion being centred on his project. Instead, Coalition members from the North Shore, Mulgoa and Cronulla come into the Chamber to read carefully prepared notes that have been given to them by the Minister's office, but not him. It is ironic that this week the Minister for Transport and Roads and the Premier have been singing the praises of the newly opened NorthConnex, which saves commuters from Sydney's west to the Central Coast 20 minutes, whereas this Government has forced upon the people of Maroubra, Coogee and Heffron a light rail system that adds 20, 30 or 40 minutes to their trip to the CBD. It beggars belief. While this debate was being held this afternoon the member for Kogarah brought to my attention that the Auditor-General released a report stating that the final cost of the light rail is not $3.1 billion but now is $3.3 billion. In other words, it has blown out by an additional $200 million. As at March this year, Transport for NSW under the auspices of Andrew Constance was still trying to work out how much it was going to cost. So it is open; it is up and running; there was no official opening; the ribbon was not cut because there was no fanfare— Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4911

no-one wanted to go near the thing when it opened—but it is operating. The Opposition asked Andrew Constance, "How much did this cost?" and he replied, "We don't know." Well, now we know—until it blows out again. It has now cost $1.7 billion more than its original $1.6 billion cost. The blowout is bigger than the original cost of the project, yet Government members have the hide to tell this House that this is transport in the twenty-first century. This is an absolute joke. Andrew Constance was right—it is a dog. Leave it alone. Let it keep running and let the contract run out but let our buses run as well. That is what we want. Petition noted. LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY The DEPUTY SPEAKER: In accordance with the resolution of the House on 18 November 2020 the House will now consider the electronic petition signed by 20,000 or more persons listed on the Business Paper regarding Save Our Stages New South Wales, lodged by the member for Sydney. This is a historic moment in the New South Wales Parliament. It is the first ePetition to be considered by the Legislative Assembly. I congratulate the member for Sydney. Before we commence the debate and for the benefit of hopefully many of the signatories to the petition watching on YouTube I take this opportunity to explain the process and rationale behind this unique debate. It is unique because it enables the public to bring their concerns directly to the attention of this House. The intent of this procedure is that the petition debate will commence with a speech from the member who in most cases is the member who lodged the petition, as in this case, followed by up to four other members and then followed by a Minister in response. To conclude the debate, the first speaker will reply. After all members have spoken, the House will vote on the question that the House take note of the petition. This question in most cases will be determined on the voices and be passed. However, if this is challenged by a member it may proceed to a division, in which case the bells are rung. The question is that the House take note of the ePetition. Mr ALEX GREENWICH (Sydney) (16:31:37): This State's live music industry is one of the best in the world. We have some of the greatest artists, performers and venues, and the industry supports a social, cultural and economic ecosystem that makes us one of the most attractive places in which to live, work and visit. But the dedicated live music venues that underpin the industry face permanent closure from the COVID-19 pandemic, and today I join nearly 30,000 New South Wales residents to call for urgent Government stimulus to save the State's stages. The debate of this ePetition is a historic moment for the Legislative Assembly. It is the first of its kind to be debated. It took the Save Our Stages campaign just over 24 hours to reach the 20,000-signature threshold, demonstrating the love people have for their live music venues. The Save Our Stages campaign identified 175 dedicated live music venues in this State that are at risk of closing. They range from small venues with audiences of fewer than 100 to large venues exceeding 1,000 patrons. They represent the State's geographic diversity and include venues like the Milton Theatre in Milton, Navigate Arts in Tanja, the Star Court Theatre in Lismore, The Studio Armidale, the Enmore Theatre in Enmore, The Concourse in Chatswood and the Oxford Art Factory in Darlinghurst in my electorate. What these venues have in common is that they have little to no alternative source of income other than live music and performance. They cannot diversify to provide food or takeaway liquor. They have no pokies and those that are operating are doing so with significantly smaller audiences—as low as 20 per cent—to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. Some venues have been closed for over nine months. They have lost the international acts that guarantee sold-out shows. Uncertain State borders make interstate artists a further challenge. Meanwhile, staff overheads remain high and new staff have had to be engaged to enforce physical distancing and increased cleansing. Rent is still due. For an industry that operates on a very lean profit margin, venues have used up their capital reserves and are now accumulating hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. The inner-city venues in my electorate were already on the back foot when the pandemic hit having suffered from over six years of crippling lockouts. Stimulus funding has focused on artists and not-for-profits, but there has been nothing for the spaces that support them. The alfresco renaissance cannot help stages. Venues now rely on JobKeeper to keep staff employed, but this will end in March. Those I spoke to tell me they could permanently close before the end of the financial year. If our dedicated live music venues close, it would severely undermine the State's live music industry, which is worth around $3.6 billion, employs about 12,000 workers and launches the careers of local musicians and performers. It would put the New South Wales Government's recently announced 24-hour Economy Strategy at risk. Concert venues support other local businesses like restaurants, bars, taxis and rideshare, tourism and accommodation. A walk down Enmore Road before or after a show at the Enmore Theatre shows the input that Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4912

concert patrons have to the local economy, which for that venue alone has been valued at $39 million. We cannot just replace closed venues. Hosting live music has significant commercial risks, high costs and no guarantees of profit. Existing venues have navigated the difficult business environment to establish a reputation to attract acts and patrons. Future entrepreneurs will be reluctant to invest and may not have the experience to succeed, especially in a slower economy with uncertain patron habits. If Australia can continue to contain COVID-19 while international acts remain suspended, we have an opportunity to nurture the local music industry, and build up artists and shows for future export. That cannot happen without the support of stages, and stages cannot operate without financial support. Victoria and Queensland have issued support packages to keep dedicated live music venues open during this difficult time. Victoria's package injected $20 million into the live music industry. Similar initiatives have been implemented in Austin, Texas; Ireland; the United Kingdom; Canada; and Scotland. If New South Wales does not act, the live music industry will collapse and we will lose business to Victoria. We will reduce the chance of an economic recovery fuelled by increased domestic tourism and migration. Dedicated live music venues in New South Wales need a $24.5 million injection of funds before the end of the year to stay open. That investment will ensure that New South Wales can continue to be a world leader in the arts and music with a thriving late-night economy into the future. I call on the Government to urgently implement a rescue package for venues that need support for live shows. I have been assured that Treasury is looking into this funding request. I commend the petition to the House. Mr JAMES GRIFFIN (Manly) (16:36:30): It is a great privilege to join the member for Sydney and speak on the first ever ePetition, which generated 20,000 signatures for a very important issue. I acknowledge the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation in the Chamber. The Government is committed to seeing a speedy recovery and return to growth for the live music and performance sector. As a result, the Government has put in place a number of important initiatives that will create more opportunities for live music and other performers, as well as for the entertainment, arts and creative sectors more broadly. The passage on 12 November of the Liquor Amendment (24-hour Economy) Bill—which I spoke to in some detail this morning—by the upper House marks a significant milestone in the State's support for the night economy, and the live music and performance industry. The bill comprises a raft of reforms to New South Wales liquor legislation that will, among other things, reduce restrictions and cut red tape for live music at licensed venues, making it easier for artists to bring vibrancy, entertainment and culture to the night-time economy. Complementing the aims of the bill, in September the Government launched its 24-hour Economy Strategy—a new vision for a vibrant, diverse, inclusive and safe night-time economy in Greater Sydney. The strategy comprises 39 actions across five strategic pillars. The first pillar is to support more integrated planning and place making, and more "joined-up" State, local government and industry collaboration to enable the 24-hour economy to thrive. The second is to encourage the diversification of night-time activities by supporting a wider variety of businesses at night. The third pillar is to nurture industry and cultural development to help entrepreneurs thrive in the 24-hour economy. The fourth is to explore ways to enhance mobility and improve connectivity between 24-hour economy hubs through safe and reliable transport. Finally, the fifth pillar is to change the narrative for Sydney to drive more local consumption, highlight Sydney as a world-class night-time destination and encourage healthy behaviours. Supporters of the New South Wales live music industry will have been gratified to see many of their suggested measures included as actions in this strategy. They will also be pleased with its clear commitment to continue to work in partnership with industry and councils, and across government to implement this ambitious road map. The strategy includes measures to directly support more roadside artistic activations and indoor small-scale art and culture events, and to work with councils to realise unique and vibrant 24-hour economy hubs. Although the strategy is focused on Greater Sydney, it will provide a template for activations that can take place across New South Wales. A 24-hour Economy Commissioner will soon be appointed to lead the implementation of the strategy. The commissioner will work closely with the sector, councils and communities, and lead a whole-of-government effort to implement the strategy. In October the Government announced a groundbreaking partnership with the City of Sydney to support the activation of outdoor spaces for alfresco dining and cultural events. We are jointly planning for a slew of musical and artistic events in public spaces and streets in the Sydney CBD, where they are much needed and where they will be appreciated. On 4 November the Government announced that it would fund CBD activation grants with the City of Sydney. The grants will support partnerships between retailers, cafes and restaurants and musicians, performers and artists, with the aim of attracting and entertaining visitors and revitalising spaces that have been underused since the pandemic began. Individual artists, businesses and entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the grant and realise their ideas to revitalise Sydney's CBD. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4913

In addition, following the Summer Summit on 18 September, the Government formed an outdoor dining task force, which will also help to increase the number of venues available to performers, with funding provided to enhance the alfresco dining experience with a range of performances. The Government has prepared advice and tools to help councils and businesses safely and easily expand their outdoor dining, performance and events spaces over summer. I commend the member for Sydney for bringing the first ever ePetition of 20,000 signatures to the House. It is entirely appropriate that it is on this important matter at this point in time. I commend the petition to the House. Ms YASMIN CATLEY (Swansea) (16:41:14): I thank the member for Sydney for bringing this ePetition to the House. New South Wales is home to the biggest music industry in the country, but today that industry is sadly on its knees. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, live music venues have been burdened by increased operational costs and drastically reduced incomes. Without urgent financial assistance from the Government, New South Wales is at significant risk of permanently losing key regional and metropolitan live music venues. There are more than 750 venues in New South Wales that offer live music, yet 85 per cent of music venues surveyed by Music NSW in September this year reported that they will likely be forced to close permanently within the next six to 12 months. If that happens, a critical mass of skilled music professionals will be forced out of the industry. More than 23,000 people are directly employed in the music industry, half of whom are in regional and rural New South Wales. There are thousands more jobs created indirectly by the music industry. All of those people stand to lose their livelihoods and their incomes in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn unless the Government urgently provides a stimulus package that will ensure the survival of the music industry. Since COVID-19, live music venues in New South Wales have amassed on average $133,000 in debt per business. As the member for Sydney has already mentioned, the Oxford Art Factory in his electorate has a venue capacity of 500 in its main room, yet under COVID-19 restrictions it is only allowed to seat 90 people— the math explains why it is so tough for businesses. In other words, it is forced to operate at less than 20 per cent of its capacity. Down in Victoria, live music venues have been given a lifeline of $15 million by the Victorian Government because it understands how important and vibrant cities must be, and you need a live music industry to do that. Unfortunately, live music venues in New South Wales have been left out of arts and cultural survival and restart packages, and they received nothing in this week's budget. We have to decide what kind of city we want to be. Do we want to live in a State where the doors of live music venues have long since closed, where there is nowhere to watch our favourite touring bands, where there is nowhere for the up-and-coming performers to hone their craft, and where there is nowhere for local cover bands to entertain punters? Who in this room has not asked for Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh to be played at the end of the night? We do not want to live in that sort of city. More than 70 live music venues from across New South Wales have joined forces for the first time to form the emergency association Save Our Stages NSW. Live music venues have persevered through months of hardship and uncertainty, constructively seeking a solution to this terrible predicament, yet the Government has failed to extend them a helping hand. The reality is that without a stimulus package, our much-loved music venues are doomed. When JobKeeper ends the doors will start to close, causing a massive ecosystem disruption to the $3.6 billion New South Wales music industry that will force thousands of people out of their jobs. The Hon. John Graham has been working extremely hard to ensure that our night-time economy is vibrant, and most essential to that is the health of live music venues. I call on the Government to provide urgent support for venues on death's door due to COVID, otherwise their demise will be placed squarely at the feet of the Government. As the member for Sydney said in his contribution, it took just 24 hours for more than 20,000 people to sign an ePetition calling on the Government to provide a stimulus package for these venues to ensure that the live music industry can survive the impacts of COVID-19. I say to the Minister that if he fails to keep these venues alive, the people of this State will blame the Government on the day the music dies. Mr KEVIN ANDERSON (Tamworth—Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation) (16:45:51): I commend the member for Sydney for bringing this petition forward on behalf of music lovers, entertainers and performers across the State. As someone who has been in and out of bands for the past 30 years, I know how important the live music industry is. Hearing live music transcends the soul, lifts the spirits and just makes you feel good. I echo the sentiment of the member for Swansea when she asked who hadn't ever called for Khe Sanh to be played at the end of a night . My bands and I have often played Khe Sanh very late at night, and the more you drink, the better we sound. Ms Yasmin Catley: I will be calling on it tonight, if you've got your guitar. Mr KEVIN ANDERSON: One hundred per cent. Coming from Tamworth, live music is in my soul. We know how important the Tamworth Festival is to the area, and live music is its centrepiece. The highlight of the festival is the Country Music Awards of Australia, and the final nominees for the forty-ninth Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4914

annual ceremony were released a few hours ago. Live music is so important because it puts food on the table and keeps a roof over the heads of those who rely on the industry. But quite often sophisticated financial systems are not set up, so things like superannuation and being able to plan financially are not on the agenda. Musicians and industry workers often live hand to mouth, waiting for the next gig to come round to get paid, so keeping live music venues open is critical. Unfortunately, JobKeeper did not help many in the industry because they did not have an ABN. Certainly many brilliant musician friends of mine were unable to access JobKeeper because they did not have the financial structure in place that will allow them to receive that support. As I mentioned, today the 49th Annual Country Music Awards of Australia nominees were announced, and big stars such as Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Travis Collins, Kasey Chambers and all featured, as well as many artists who have busked on the "Boulevard of Dreams"—Peel Street in Tamworth—before they found commercial success. This year the awards will be held during a festival that has been cancelled due to COVID, so this has had a huge impact on the lives of many musicians. Other nominees include: Adam Eckersley, , Lee Kernaghan, , Aleyce Simmonds and hometown girl Allison Forbes. After reaching the final of the 2016 Toyota Star Maker competition, Allison's highly anticipated debut album Bonedigger has entered the iTunes country chart at number five and seen her receive nominations in four categories: Alt Country Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, New Talent of the Year and Bluegrass Recording of the Year, which she did with The Weeping Willows. This is an incredible achievement for Tamworth's Allison Forbes and goes to show the talent that is currently in and around the scene. I thank Alison for persevering because she, like many musicians, has struggled for their success, but they fight their way back. She went on the road during COVID to try to get her career back on track, so to see her nominated at the Country Music Awards of Australia and Bonedigger debuting at number five is outstanding. I look forward to seeing all the nominees at the awards next January, and I invite all members to log on and enjoy the finest that Australian country music has to offer. I thank the Minister for the outstanding Great Southern Nights event, which got people back onstage doing what they do best. The Government has supported the live music industry and musicians, and I am especially grateful for that because a lot of my mates were able to get back onstage as a result. I look forward to a billion great songs about heartache, isolation, and running out of food and booze when all these musicians come out of this dark period. I thank the member for Sydney for bringing this petition to the House. Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (16:50:56): I make a contribution on behalf of The Greens to the debate. The arts and music industries have been smashed by this pandemic, and yet it is sad to see that they have only received a fraction of the Government support that other affected industries such as professional sporting codes, tourism and manufacturing have. The scale of the response to this petition shows how passionately the community cares about the live music industry. While the recent announcement to support theatres, arts spaces, festivals, museums and performance companies across New South Wales through a $50 million stimulus package was very welcome, unfortunately the live music sector missed out. I appreciate that the structure of the industry means that responsibility for its support can fall across a range of government departments, but we need to do better. Nearly all musicians are independent sole traders and are therefore not associated with an employer or parent organisation, so they rely purely on music sales and gig fees paid by venues to make a living. But these venues have received virtually no support from the Government during the pandemic, despite the fact that they are vital for the industry, and desperately need investment and support to stay alive during these difficult times. While the recent changes to the night-time economy laws are welcome and help simplify the law for venues that can afford to pay musicians, times are still tough. Because of the COVID restrictions, bars and music venues cannot operate at full capacity. This means that those packed-out nights when a venue turns the kind of profit that allows them to pay the bills and, most importantly, the artist, are not happening. Instead of people pressed up against each other to listen to live music, venues are being forced to space patrons four square metres on chairs. That means that venues are operating at around 30 per cent or 50 per cent of their normal maximum capacity. Save Our Stages NSW has been doing vital work to raise awareness of the looming disaster for the live music industry, and over 70 independent venues have banded together to form an emergency association to save the industry. Yesterday it was wonderful to hear the concerns of Emily Collins from MusicNSW and Mark Gerber from the Oxford Art Factory. I recognise local venue legends Kerri Glasscock from Venue 505 and Sam Nardo from Century Venues for their work to highlight issues in the live music industry, something that they have done for many years. Alarmingly, 85 per cent of the music venues they surveyed said that they would be closed by mid-2021, and these venues will not come back. They will become ugly apartments, unnecessary office blocks or a range of things that this city does not need. What is more, there is currently no register of those venues, so if they are lost then they are gone for good. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4915

The live music industry needs investment. I appreciate the passion shown by the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, and I acknowledge the activities in Newtown as part of the Great Southern Nights initiative, but we need a genuine commitment from Ministers to deliver a stimulus package for the industry that will ensure the survival of its venues. We need to support those in the entertainment community who depend on live music for their existence in order to safeguard the future of the industry. This petition currently has 27,734 signatures, and it took about 24 hours to gather that many. We need the New South Wales Government to sit down and work with MusicNSW, Save Our Stages NSW and these venues to be able to deliver. I appreciate the member for Tamworth and Minister's passion for live music, but it is not enough for us to glorify the idea of living from pay cheque to pay cheque, struggling to be able to afford food or a beer. What we need to do is support our musicians, and the Government and Ministers who are in this Chamber can do that right now. I congratulate Save Our Stages and I congratulate the member for Sydney on his good work in bringing this petition to this place. I congratulate the thousands and thousands of musicians, bands, creatives, producers, events teams and venue staff and all music lovers for being so loud when we need them to be loud, singing to the Government to save our stages. I stand with them, the electorate of Newtown stands with them and The Greens stand with them in the struggle to save our stages. Mr STUART AYRES (Penrith—Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney) (16:55:47): This petition reflects the passion for live music shared by everyone in this Chamber who has spoken on it and by so many people around New South Wales. Live music is such an important part of the cultural offering of this city. I completely agree with the member for Tamworth that musicians will help us understand, tell the story and go through the emotional rollercoaster of coming out of COVID. I want the music venues that are open and operating in Sydney today to still be there at the end of COVID. In fact, I want to see more of them. I want to be able to take advantage of the outbreak of bipartisanship that saw the Liquor Amendment (24-hour Economy) Bill 2020 pass through this House and the approach to policymaking we have been able to have in both Chambers. The Government has worked with members of the industry to create the 24-Hour Economy Strategy, which firmly embeds into the policy settings of this Government the creation of opportunities for live music to continue to take place. A number of COVID-related investments and stimulus grants have been made available to people across the music industry. I know some of those things do not meet exactly what Save Our Stages is looking for. Anyone from Save Our Stages can come through my door and talk to me about the things that they see as pressing issues. What we have seen in the New South Wales economy is very different to what has happened in a State like Victoria, where there was literally no activity. We have taken a more nuanced approach. Small businesses and sole traders have had access to the $1,500 small business rebate. Our Sydney Summer Summit series of activities and funding has seen close cooperation between the New South Wales Government and the City of Sydney, which will now see $3 million going into CBD activations for music. We have the "play the city" grants, which have $500,000 attached to them. We also have the contemporary music grants for performers and organisations from Create NSW, which have over $640,000 available. And we have Great Southern Nights. Just to prove that I am committed to live music—I did not even know this until I put my suit on this morning—here is my Max Watt's card and here is my Great Southern Nights coaster, which I picked up at my most recent Great Southern Nights event. That initiative has over 3,500 artists and over 1,100 gigs are happening in November. It has activated over 350 venues in 140 towns around New South Wales. That is what we have done to save our stages and save our artists and get them through this. We will continue to work with artists and venues to ensure that they survive through the course of the pandemic. Mr ALEX GREENWICH (Sydney) (16:59:00): In reply: The nearly 30,000 people who signed this historic first ePetition can be assured by the seriousness with which this Parliament has treated their concerns. The debate has heard from not one but two Cabinet ministers: the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney and the Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation and member for Tamworth. We have also heard from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition as well as passionate speeches from the member for Manly and the member for Newtown. In addition, the Lord Mayor of Sydney and I have written directly to the Treasurer asking for urgent stimulus funding and a rescue package for dedicated live music venues. If that is not immediately evident, there will be a negative ripple effect on local economies in the City of Sydney and other areas. As I said at the outset, I have been given an assurance that Treasury is looking into that funding request, and I do hope it moves on it. We are talking about some of the most loved venues in our State—venues that add to the culture and heart of our State. To lose them would indeed be a tragedy. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic created the need for electronic petitions, it has also created the need for urgent funding for stages. I pay tribute to all of the organisations involved in the Save Our Stages NSW campaign, which brought together over 70 dedicated live music venues across the State. Their voices have been heard loud and clear. This is the final petition of the year for the New South Wales Parliament and a historic first ePetition. I thank everyone who signed it for having Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4916

such a massive impact. Hopefully it will be the thing that leads to the stimulus package to rescue our favourite dedicated live music venues across New South Wales. Petition noted. Documents NSW BUSH FIRE SEASON OUTLOOK 2020-21 Tabling Mr DAVID ELLIOTT: By leave: As per the recommendation of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, I table the NSW Bush Fire Season Outlook 2020-21. Motions CHRISTMAS FELICITATIONS Debate resumed from an earlier hour. Mr MARK SPEAKMAN (Cronulla—Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence) (17:01:55): Every day is like Christmas when you wake up in the shire. It is an honour to represent the people of Cronulla, and my first greetings for the season are for the people who repose in me their trust to represent them in this place. I thank them for that honour. I thank those in my Cronulla office, who help me do just that. Senior electorate officer Michelle Lawson leads a dedicated team of shirelings committed to keeping my back. I thank her for that, along with Daniel Rindfleish, Lachlan Fraser and Ruby Ward. Their work is all the more challenging because of the demands of ministerial office. My chief of staff, Cheryl Gwilliam, has the incredible wisdom of exceptional experience in State and Federal government. Under her leadership, the ministerial office has achieved an enormous amount this year, including guiding 13 bills through this place and the other place, and emergency legislation to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Doing a lot of that work is the remarkable Mary Klein. Members in both Houses will be familiar with her. She styles herself, far too humbly, as the First Paralegal of the Land. She is a policy sounding- board whose advice may sometimes be more frank and fearless than I would prefer, but her honesty, intellect and insight have served to improve legislation and therefore outcomes for the people of this State. I thank all the policy advisors in my office. Di Mann's and Jo Yates' advice and input have been invaluable in our mission to do our best to rid the State of the scourge of domestic violence. Nick Johnson, along with his diligent advice this year, carried with him one of the finest examples of coiffure pandemique. I thank Michael Peng, who recently departed as my outstanding associate. Speaking of excellence, my media communications people, co-directors Brooke Eggleton and Damien Smith along with Sean Robertson, are truly remarkable human beings. If my downstairs office neighbour at Cronulla knew them as well as I do, he would probably say, "How good are they?" The sunny Astrid Pedersen and Patrick Wynne, my parliamentary liaison officers, deal deftly with portfolio-related enquiries from members such as yourself, Mr Assistant Speaker. To my right hand, my office manager Cecilia Falson has followed me for many years through my political career. I thank her for keeping me on the straight and narrow, making sure I am where I need to be when I need to be there. The departmental liaison team does a remarkable job under intense pressure. I thank former senior departmental liaison officer Kelly Stewart, who left the office last week. A more cheerful and hardworking departmental professional would be hard to find. Kelly is replaced by Alex Zbaras who, having been with the office a while, is having a running start. Thanks too to Amanda Balis and Sarah Dutton, who has the often daunting duty of answering the ministerial office phone to hear distressing details of callers' most personal issues. To the Department of Communities and Justice staff, from my Secretary, Michael Coutts-Trotter, through to the Sheriff's Officers around the State: You are all dedicated to the goal of making New South Wales a safer, more compassionate community, a task for which we are all grateful. I thank all our judicial officers and tribunal members. The task of administering justice fairly and without favour, malice or ill will is the bedrock of our civil society. You can be the subject of frequent and often unfair criticism for merely executing your duty. Judicial officers and the legal profession have adapted extremely well to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping the wheels of justice moving in New South Wales. They deserve the thanks of everyone in this place. For the last six months I have had the honour of managing Government business in the House. I have had the very able support of Alex Gibson, who doubles as an extremely capable policy advisor in my office. I ask a lot of Alex. He continues to deliver. I am very grateful, Alex. This role is a chance to work with those opposite and on the crossbench to achieve outcomes that benefit the people of our State. We do not always agree. Often we disagree—robustly, fervently, perhaps even furiously. That is the point of this institution. That is our job. Democracy is our job. Disagreement is the essential ingredient of democracy. Through argument, through debate, Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4917

together we fashion laws for the good government of the State. I pay tribute to my opposite number in this role, the member for Keira. I value our relationship and I am grateful for his cooperation in the smooth running of the Chamber. I thank the Premier for her exceptional leadership throughout this exceptional year. I thank all members, Government, Opposition and crossbench, for their service to the Chamber and the public and I wish them the very best for the festive season. To our Speaker, the member for Davidson: Your stewardship of the House has been exceptional. We can be an unruly bunch, but you have been fair. You have been firm. You have been assiduous in your application of the standing orders. I extend this appreciation to the Deputy Speaker, the Assistant Speaker and all the Temporary Speakers. To all the officers and staff of the House: Thank you. To Helen Minnican, the professionalism and flexibility of you and your team have been crucial to the Parliament continuing to operate and legislate during this once-in-a-century pandemic. We know your dedication to the task and once again thank you for your service to the people of New South Wales. I thank those at home, without whose continuing, patient and loving support, this job would be unbearable. My children, Kate and Matthew, my greatest accomplishments, are a continuing source of delight. Caroline, my wife—The Lady Cronulla—thank you for standing by me as a constant support and bringing me more happiness than I deserve. My furry friends at home would be barking mad if I did not mention them too. Merry Christmas, Ralph and Lucy. I spoke earlier about how we of opposing political philosophies are able to cooperate for the benefit of those we represent, that we come to this place, each of us, wanting the best for our communities. The institutions of parliamentary democracy, Cabinet confidentiality and Cabinet solidarity are a bulwark against unstable government. All of us in this place know the value of these institutions. Developments this year in one particularly close ally abroad have drawn a focus on the potential fragility of these institutions, when goodwill is seen as a weakness and when hyper-partisanship is seen as a strength. I never dreamt I would see the day when the party divide in the United States would be starker than the differences in Australia. There are lessons for us here in what we are seeing in the United States now. It gives us something on which to reflect while we are away from this place of pressure and conflict: the importance of goodwill. A central message of Christmas is goodwill. One of the most popular Christmas stories is in the Gospel of Luke 2:8-20, involving the angel visiting the shepherds as they watched their flock by night. The angel brought news of the birth of the saviour Jesus, who they would find "wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" in the "city of David". Then the heavenly host appeared and, well, that is when we heard the bit about "good will toward men", as the King James version puts it. This is an enduring message. It is one we as a group of people—with the Government on our shoulders, as it were—need to have in mind not just at Christmas but for every season, every day we bear this responsibility. This democratic machine we call Parliament may be fuelled by our differences of opinion, but that process is lubricated by the oils of goodwill. We should all treasure that goodwill and guard it jealously. If we do not, we face the real prospect that rifts may grow wider, anger may fester and communities may divide. Goodwill, on the other hand, grows with every time we rely on it to debate and even agree in good faith. When we engender goodwill, goodwill is returned. It is like a magic Christmas pudding of warm fuzzies. We come here with a duty to serve. Goodwill will help us keep firm the institutions on which the stability of our society relies. If by engendering goodwill we can also bring people together, we will have done our bit. I wish all a merry Christmas, a blessed Chanukah or, if you are more inclined to "air your grievances" this season, a happy Festivus. Mr RYAN PARK (Keira) (17:10:35): I make a contribution to Christmas felicitations. I always find these things very interesting. We spend a year trying to get seats off one another and bash each other up, and then we spend a couple of hours wishing each other a merry Christmas. Such is the way in which our democracy is carried out. I start by recognising and thanking the Leader of the Opposition for her tireless efforts, especially during what has been a difficult 2020. I do not think anyone could imagine what we faced this time 12 months ago as we farewelled that parliamentary year. It has been tough in our roles. It has been tough for the Leader of the Opposition. I thank her and her team for their efforts, particularly during this difficult year. To the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and member for Swansea: I thank you for your dedication and hard work and I thank your staff for all they have done. I thank the Opposition Whip, Anna Watson, and the Deputy Opposition Whip and member for The Entrance, David Mehan. It would be remiss of me not to mention also the person who makes all of this happen for us in this place: Colleen in the Opposition Whip's office. She does an outstanding job. She puts up with all of the changes and frustrations, and she does it with a smile on her face. To Colleen, thank you very much. We understand that politicians are not always the easiest people to work with. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4918

I thank the Government Whip, the Deputy Whips and you, Mr Speaker. You have done an outstanding job. This is no easy place for you to adjudicate. To you, the Deputy Speaker, the Assistant Speaker and all of the Temporary Speakers: Well done. They are difficult jobs, ones that I could never imagine doing, but you do them with great judgement and skill. On behalf of the team on this side of the Chamber, we thank you in all sincerity. I thank my counterpart, the Attorney General, Leader of the House and member for Cronulla. These roles are difficult but they work on trust and a build-up of relationship and rapport, and we have that. He has never broken that and I would like to say I have not either. He mentioned goodwill, and he is right. He has given me a lot of goodwill and I hope I have paid that back to ensure that this place runs as the community expects its elected officials to run the Parliament—that is with a focus on the issues that are important to them. I offer my heartfelt thanks to the Attorney General. I also want to thank some people who do not always get a mention in these places—maybe that is because I am a former staffer. I thank Mitch Wright and Matt McLean in the office of the Leader of the Opposition. Mitch does an enormous amount of parliamentary work, day in, day out, when this place is sitting. Matt looks after the Health portfolio for the Opposition. These two outstanding individuals make an enormous contribution. They give up a lot. These are tough jobs, as I think all members can attest to—certainly I can. I want to put on the record my thanks to those individuals. To the Clerk, Helen Minnican, and her entire team, including the Table Office and Hansard—all of those people who make this place work day in, day out—thank you so much. I hope you have enjoyed some days. I am sure some days you go home and shake your head, but I hope you can continue to make a contribution to democracy, because without you we cannot do our job. I say that on behalf of the entire Opposition. I thank a lady who has been cleaning my office for close to a decade now—Irma. She is fantastic and she has been recognised recently for 25 years of service. I congratulate her and thank her for her work. She always says I keep a very clean office. I was brought up by my parents to have a clean desk, a clean car and a clean house, so I operate from a clean office. Apparently it helps you get through the day, but Irma makes it even better. So I thank her very, very much. Thanks to all the special constables—a couple of them are from my electorate—for keeping us safe. I thank the Press Gallery for keeping us honest and I thank the staff of the Department of Parliamentary Services for keeping this place running. It has been a really tough year for the staff. I pay tribute to our Executive Chef here. She took up an idea that I and Mr Speaker had about making sure we used our commercial kitchens to provide good-quality meals for those who are doing it tough. When I last checked in with our Executive Chef, this place had cooked over 100,000 meals for OzHarvest and those charities that provide people with food during this time. It is something that I am proud of, and I am sure Mr Speaker is proud of it too. I pay particular tribute to the Executive Chef today. I also thank the staff in the office of the Leader of the Opposition. It is a small office and they have a thankless and tough job. To Stephen Fitzpatrick, Matt McLean—whom I have mentioned—Pia Bruno, Nicole Chettle, Leon, Rebecca, Ash, Josh, Ed, Morgan, Sravya, Michael, Roland, Jenny and LJ, I say thank you for being with us and for your dedication to the role. They are tough gigs, but I put on record my sincere thanks. My electorate office team is a fantastic group of individuals. All of us in this place probably at times underestimate the work that our electorate offices do, but it is important to recognise the work of our frontline troops—and they are literally the front line, particularly this year. They have faced a really tough year and I thank my office, led by Janelle Rimmer, who has been with me on this career since 2011, supported by Melanie Haskew, Lynden Bartrim and Richard Martin. Thank you very much for all your work. To my colleagues on my side, I know this has been a challenging year but we have gotten on with what we needed to do and we have supported our constituents and they have supported us. To my side of this Chamber, thank you very, very much for your support. This has been a tough role to do in a tough year. I know news has been difficult when you have not been able to access Parliament, but I thank all my colleagues for the support they have given me and the way they have handled what has been a challenging time. My colleagues in our shadow Cabinet have done what they have always done, which is conduct themselves in a hardworking way. That is what a shadow Cabinet is meant to do, that is the role of Opposition and I will continue to do that. I will continue to get out to every corner of New South Wales. I hope all my colleagues enjoy some time with their families and loved ones. To the Premier, the Deputy Premier, Government and crossbench members, thank you. It has been a really tough year for you guys as well—I am aware of that. It has been a tough past few months—we are all aware of that. Politics can be very tough at times, it can be brutal and it can be hard—it can be hard on your families and it can be hard on your loved ones. I assure you that whilst we may have differences and those differences can sometimes be expressed very strongly by me—as strongly as anyone—I will always endeavour to play the issue, not the person. I know that you all do your very, very best in this job—we are all here to do that—and, whilst Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4919

there are differences, I put on record my thanks to Government members for the way in which they have assisted in making my job and the job of the Attorney General, the member for Cronulla, a little easier this year. I take this opportunity to acknowledge that communities right across New South Wales are going to have a Christmas like we have never had before. I thank my electorate, the good folk of Keira, who put me in this role. I have been in this place now for 10 years and this has been without a doubt the toughest 12 months they have gone through. They have gone through hell, as every other community has, and we are not through this yet; we are probably almost getting through the health crisis but we are certainly not through the economic crisis. I acknowledge all those communities, but particularly the community that I represent in the northern part of the Illawarra. As members of political parties, we are here because of our rank and file party members. I thank branch members within my electorate—of course, the mighty Illawarra Young Labor—who do a fantastic job and who support members throughout our region. To my parliamentary colleagues in the region, the member for Shellharbour and the member for Wollongong, it is great having two hardworking colleagues in this place who try to do their best for the region we love and are very proud to represent. To my family—my wife, Kara, and our sons, Preston and Oliver—thank you for your support and for enabling me to do this job. All members in this place know that families are conscripts—there are no two ways about that—and I take this opportunity to say thank you. I wish all members of the House well. I hope you have a safe and happy Christmas. I hope you come back refreshed to do it all over again. I hope 2021 is a lot better than 2020 for all of you, your families and the communities that we all represent. I look forward to doing it all again next year. The SPEAKER (17:21:25): As Speaker, I make a contribution of my own from the chair. As Speaker, it is a real privilege to preside over this great House. I am especially thankful that we have been able to meet as a democratic Parliament in a COVID-safe way during the pandemic. It has been a pandemic that has changed every part of our lives, and I know that an enormous amount of time and effort has gone into keeping our Parliament and society operating in a COVID-safe way. I especially recognise, as the Premier did, and applaud our health workers, under the health Minister's leadership, and our essential services workers for their admirable service to our New South Wales communities in 2020. While it is tempting to see 2020 somewhat negatively, let us remember the positive things we have achieved together, despite challenges. Upon becoming Speaker, I outlined a number of ambitions: to embrace both tradition and modernisation; to grow the level of public engagement; and to encourage parliamentarians to higher standards of behaviour. Our Parliament has successfully implemented or commenced many initiatives to deliver on these goals, including the commencement of a new digital Parliament project—a serious commencement as opposed to the attempts of the past, which were hampered by a lack of finance—and a new audiovisual project for this Chamber that will seriously lift our technical capability. While Parliament was closed to the public, our amazing catering team cooked for those in need, as the member for Keira outlined, and we were able to roll out an ePetitions platform, with the first ePetition having been debated in this House today. We saw The Bear Pit, a panel discussion, held in the Chamber on International Parliament Day and livestreamed to the Parliament's Facebook page, as other elements of this Parliament's proceedings have been increasingly exposed to the public through Facebook. We saw a professional development program for MPs, with various elements—which has been well received—and I thank all my colleagues for their support. I think, in the main, they have benefited when they decided to participate voluntarily. We have seen Thought Leadership events, with industry and community leaders such as the NSW Australian of the Year Shane Fitzsimmons, who led us admirably through the bushfire crisis earlier in the year. We have seen the recent launch of EdApp, a mobile phone app that delivers micro lessons on compliance with ethical standards and other educational pieces. I encourage members, if they have not done so, to have a look at it when time permits over the coming weeks. My chief of staff and I have visited some 75 per cent of the electorate offices around the State, and that process continues. It has been a valuable and certainly a very useful exercise from my perspective, as well as an opportunity to convey the appreciation that this Parliament has for those staff members who work in each of our electorate offices. Thanks to my own team, who have helped achieve all this and so much more: my chief of staff, Paul Blanch; my deputy chief of staff, Ellie Laing; Parliamentary Adviser Georgia Luk; and Executive Officer Samantha McFarlane. I also thank my Davidson electorate office staff: Koharig Boulghourjian, Sarah Ingram, Annie Rinaudo, Richard Tilden and Ryan Aivazian. Thank you so much each and every one of you. You work hard and you do not always get the recognition you deserve. I commend the leadership displayed by our Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, who has had, in many ways, a difficult year but she continues to serve selflessly the people of Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4920

this State. I commend the Deputy Premier, who has also had his challenges but has come through with assistance and perseverance and represents particularly the rural people of this State so well. I also commend the performance of their counterparts in their roles—the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition—and thank them for their cooperation and support, as I thank all leaders in this Chamber. I recognise my friend and co-Presiding Officer, the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon. John Ajaka. I am so grateful to him and his staff for their support and I am pleased that we have such a cooperative and positive working relationship. I thank my Speaker's Panel for its service, including the Deputy Speaker, Leslie Williams; the Assistant Speaker, , who is in the Chamber; and the members for Heathcote, for Wallsend, for North Shore, for Lake Macquarie and for Coffs Harbour. They have all performed sterling jobs as part of the Speaker's Panel, which I think has also enjoyed itself along the way. To the Whips, I note that the Chief Government Whip as well as the Chief Opposition Whip are in the Chamber. Adam Crouch and Anna Watson, thank you. To the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business, Mark Speakman, and Ryan Park and their staff, thank you so much. I always enjoy our exchanges and our good working relationships. To the Standing Orders and Procedure Committee, thank you for your consideration and cooperation. I look forward to implementing, hopefully, further reforms in the Legislative Assembly in due course next year. Now to the Department of the Legislative Assembly, headed by Clerk Helen Minnican, who recently reached the milestone of 30 years of service to the Parliament. To Helen and her leadership team of Deputy Clerk Leslie Gönye, Clerk-Assistants Carly Maxwell and Jonathan Elliott, as well as directors Simon Johnston, John Young, Clara Hawker and Elaine Schofield, thank you. You all do an outstanding job. The staff in every electorate office, the Office of the Clerk, the Table Office, House and Procedure, front desk attendants and committees all go above and beyond in striving to serve our members and the wider public. Thank you all. I likewise recognise the Chief Executive of the Department of Parliamentary Services, Mark Webb; his deputy, Julie Langsworth; and directors John Gregor, Rob Nielsen, Mike Price and Helen Gors, in particular. I also acknowledge all those who work in Human Services, Parliamentary Education, Accounting Services, Members' Entitlements, IT Services, Parliamentary Reporting (Hansard), the Parliamentary Library and Research Services, Building Infrastructure and Services, Capital Projects, EO Services, Security, Cleaning and Parliamentary Catering. I hope I have not left anyone out. Thank you so much on behalf of all of us here. Thank you for your tremendous skill and your resilience in adapting our parliamentary services to what has become the new normal in 2020. To members in closing, it has been a tough year but it should be easier in 2021. May you and your loved ones have a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. I would like to say I will see you back in 2021, but unfortunately I think we may see you back next week. This is my official ending to the formal part of the year and I wish you well for the break between whenever we finally rise this year and hopefully what will be a brighter and successful 2021 for everyone. Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (17:30:27): On what we thought would be the last sitting day for 2020, I acknowledge and thank the many people who make this place run. Mr Speaker, the member for Davidson, I congratulate you on the amazing work that you have been doing reforming this Parliament. I also congratulate you on the digital technology that you have introduced to this Chamber, the oldest Parliament in this nation. I wish you a wonderful Christmas and thank you for your good humour, your support and for the wonderful way in which you conduct this Chamber. Thank you, Mr Speaker. To the Leader of the House, the member for Cronulla, it has been a pleasure working alongside the Leader of the House this year amongst all of these ups and downs that we have discussed, but I must admit that the biggest shock of 2020 was to find out his real age—60. It must be the water in Cronulla. Ms Anna Watson: Is he 60? Mr ADAM CROUCH: He is. The Leader of the House is 60. As I said, it must be the water in Cronulla. I thank Alex Gibson from the leader's office, who works so fantastically with my office, and I thank Bran Black and Taylor Gramoski in the Premier's office. To my shadow, the member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson, we have worked very well together again this year—she truly is a gazelle, running down the executive corridor. I also thank her able assistant, Colleen Symington from the Opposition Whip's Office. I thank the Clerks, who play such an enormous role in making this House function. Their advice on matters of procedure and practice is invaluable to all of us. I thank the incredible Helen Minnican, the amazing Carly Maxwell, who is in the Chamber—nobody can stay here until 2.00 a.m. and turn out looking as well the next day as Carly Maxwell; I do not know how she does it—along with the incredible Simon Johnston, who jumps on his treadly at 2.00 a.m., rides home and rides back the next morning. What an incredible team. They really have perfected the art of Clerk-face. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4921

I thank so many staff who look after us in this place. Hansard, how you do it I do not know. You make our most awkward speeches sound so eloquent. I thank our incredible Chamber attendants—Danny is in the Chamber this evening—the great team at IT Services, the catering team, the special constables and EO services. I must pay tribute to the best cleaner in this place, the famous Martyr. I inform the House with much sadness that we will be saying goodbye to Martyr this week. She is retiring after 30 years of service. I am proud to say that she has looked after the Whip's Office and I will miss her incredible smiling face and happy voice every morning welcoming me on my arrival. I am trying to convince Martyr that she needs to move to the beautiful electorate of Terrigal in her retirement. Another group of people I thank for their work is the ministerial staff of this Government. All staff members have a tough job balancing the many demands on their time and their Minister's time. I would like to name all the staff but I cannot. I particularly mention the following for their work this year: the Premier's chief of staff, Neil Harley; private secretary, the amazing Peta Demery; Michael Evangelidis; Jerome Boutelet; Bryce O'Connor; Bethany West; the amazing Sally White in Minister Paul Toole's office; Cheryl Gwilliam and Astrid Pedersen in the Attorney General's office; the wonderful Leonie Lamont and Simon Santow in the health Minister's office; Isabel Virgona in Minister Stokes' office; the fantastic Priya Pagaddinnimath in Minister Dominello's office; Doug Walther in Minister Pavey's office; and Luke Sikora and Nick Story from Minister Hancock's office. I thank them for all their support and level-headedness during a very tough year for Central Coast Council. I also acknowledge Mitch Clout in Minister Ward's office for his incredible bravery in attending the staff bar on a Thursday evening. I give a shout-out to one of my local residents Brett Wright who is in the gallery and was acknowledged for more than 30 years' service. He is now retiring. Brett is a fantastic chap, and a constituent of mine. I wish him all the very best in his well-deserved retirement. I will miss seeing him at the train stations in the lead-up to the election. I give a quick shout-out to another local resident, Robert Gilbert. It has been a tough year for Robert and I hope he gets a chance to relax over Christmas. The Premier has done an incredible job this year. She never ceases to amaze me. I am so proud to be a member of her Government. The Premier is a true people's leader. She always put the people of New South Wales first and it has been a true honour again to serve as her Whip in this place. Finally, a small number of people make my office in Parliament House and my electorate office in Erina run so smoothly. They are my work family and I have only three of them. They do a wonderful job and they are: Donna Golightly—a true champion of the people of the Terrigal electorate; Megan Golightly, my newest member; and the incredible Ben Sheath, who runs my life and my office and does an amazing job. Being the Government Whip is a unique job. I acknowledge my colleague the member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, the formidable Nationals Whip and her secretary Viv; Lee Evans, the member for Heathcote, my deputy; and the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones in the Legislative Council. I also thank all of my Liberal and Nationals colleagues, who mostly do the right thing to ensure the Parliament can run smoothly. I extend a very special thankyou to my darling wife, Jill. It has been a tough year and I hope 2021 is better for you. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a restful and relaxing period. Ms ANNA WATSON (Shellharbour) (17:36:08): It is once again the time of the year when we get a chance to acknowledge those in our working life in Parliament and on the outside that assist us in our duties as members of Parliament. It is a time to reflect and take stock of our blessings. It has been a particularly difficult year for many in all our communities and across Australia. It has been a long year and I for one am looking forward to celebrating 2021 and hope it is a better year for all. I will start by thanking my constituents in Shellharbour, who have put their trust in me to represent them in the New South Wales Parliament. I love my community and those who live within it. I am in my third term as the member for Shellharbour and I am constantly grateful that the residents in Shellharbour have continued to support me. I am very lucky to have such a great team in my electorate office. I acknowledge and thank Greg Golledge, Sandy Mitrevski, Lou Hogan and Emmerson Burke. They always go above and beyond in their duties and exhibit the qualities needed by a member of Parliament: They are intelligent, loyal and trustworthy, and they are able to change tack quickly and effectively as required. I love those traits and I value those traits most in staff and in people. I thank them for their loyalty, diligence and hard work in the electorate office. I wish them and their families a very happy Christmas. A special mention to little Miss Olivia Mitrevski, the five-year-old daughter, Sandy, and the most sassy five-year-old that you will ever meet in your life. She has provided my office in Shellharbour with the most beautiful artwork that is plastered all over the walls. She is just an amazing little girl. I acknowledge all our Labor caucus members and wish them and their families a very happy and healthy Christmas. I know that they have all worked very hard and will certainly enjoy taking a break and spend time with their families. I thank my Deputy Whip David Meehan for his assistance and wish David and his family all the best. Adam Crouch is sitting opposite me now looking at me with a big grin on his face. Of course he knows that Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4922

I will extend a big thankyou to him. We have worked so collaboratively together, particularly over the past 12 months. Adam and I enjoy a really great working relationship, as I do with the member for Heathcote, Mr Lee Evans, who has just entered the Chamber. It has been a pleasure to work with you guys. I think the three of us run this place very well along with the member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, who is a thoroughly decent human being. I wish those in the Government Whip's office, their staff and families all the very best for 2021. I extend my best wishes also to all Government members and Opposition members. The member for Keira, Ryan Park, the Opposition leader of the House, does such a great job in his role working closely with me to make sure all members are consulted and included. Ryan is always away from his wife, Kara, and his sons, Preston and Oliver. His family give up a lot so that Ryan can be in here. Ryan's commitment to his electorate and to this Parliament is second to none. Many speakers before me have already acknowledged the incredible staff in this building and I will be no different. I sincerely thank every worker in the Parliament who works so hard to keep sitting weeks running smoothly. I thank Ian Delhanty for his humour and honesty. He is an absolute legend. I give a big shout-out to Ian and all of his staff, April Lowndes, Danny Nelda, Peter Tuziak, Monica and Hayley, the library staff and Hansard. The catering staff—Kylie, Gary, Andrew, Mel, Lee, Carlos, Binny and Lubo—thank you for feeding us and making us the best coffee, particularly on those long nights and early mornings. Of course I thank staff in payroll, facilities and human resources, and Helen and Andrew in information technology are incredible. Members can go to them at any time of the day or night and they will always help you. I also give a shout-out to Tass Morifardis, who is the go-to guy for everything. If you do not know something you just call him and if he does not know, he will know where to send you. I extend a great thankyou to him. I thank the maintenance crew and the cleaners. Irma is an absolute gem, as many others have said. She has completed 30 years and I congratulate her and wish her family very well. Her family live in my electorate and they are lovely people. Helen Minnican is such a lovely person and the backbone of this Chamber. Carly Maxwell is also sitting in the Chamber. I agree with the member for Terrigal: She always manages to look like she has just stepped out of Vogue. I think you have got a real cheek doing that, by the way. You do a great job, so thank you for all you do, Carly. I have seen three Clerks in my time in this place and I have to say that Helen is an absolute shining light. I have a great respect for her, and I wish her and her family all the very best. I also acknowledge Les, Rohan and Manuela, who have so much patience; I do not know how they do it. When we are all here carrying on with our shenanigans I do not know what is going through your minds. I often think, "What are these gooses doing?" but you guys just sit there with so much patience and also provide the assistance that we need. I thank Mark Webb and all of his team for keeping us informed, particularly through COVID-19. Mark has done an exceptional job in keeping this place safe and us safe. I must say something about my mate , the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services. I think I should put a few things to bed. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Now is your chance because he is not here. Ms ANNA WATSON: We have all heard the rumours and they are simply not true. The member for Kiama and I are friends. We are mates, and we do have a laugh in this place. It was only a few months ago I was in Kiama having a coffee with the member for Kiama. We were laughing together in a coffee shop and took some selfies. People in the cafe just could not believe it. They said, "We thought you two couldn't stand one another." I do have a lot of respect for Gareth. I think he is a lovely human being and I wish him and his family all the very best for this Christmas and New Year, and I look forward to working closely with him when we return next year. Colleen Symington, who is my executive assistant, continues to amaze me with her quick wit, her perceptions, her loyalty and her tenacity. You just do not mess with Colleen. She can be the loveliest person in the world, but do not get on her wrong side because she will certainly let you know it. She takes such a professional approach to her job and her commitment never ceases to astound me. She is so committed to Labor and is a wonderful person. She is a wonderful councillor on Georges River Council. I want Colleen to know that she is valued and respected. We are a great team together and I greatly appreciate her friendship. I wish Colleen a well-earned rest with her two boys and her family over Christmas and New Year. I acknowledge my union, the mighty United Services Union, and its executive and staff, who work tirelessly each and every day for their members. I cannot forget Graeme Kelly, who has been a mate of mine for 25 years. He is a brilliant General Secretary who leads from the front. He is fierce and fearless and will always fight for his members. Last but not least, I thank my family. My husband, Gary, is a man who deserves many medals; his chest would not be big enough to fit them all. He always looks after me with healthy meals and supports me in everything I do. He takes the time to listen to me whenever I need him to and he is so patient. Apart from being my husband, he is truly my best friend and he is always on my side. I probably drive him crazy most of the time. I also acknowledge our children, Sophia, Johanna, Joseph, Matt and Aarron; we love our kids and they are our whole world. Finally, I thank all the workers across New South Wales who are working over Christmas and into the New Year for their work and dedication, especially the public service who deserve a pay increase; I hope the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4923

Government will finally give it to them. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year—all the best for 2021. Mr LEE EVANS (Heathcote) (17:45:36): Christmas felicitations is a tradition that we have in the New South Wales Parliament. First of all, I acknowledge and thank my wife, Gayle. Without her support, I could not do my job. Secondly, I thank my second family—my office staff—Anne England, Bella Beattie and Abbey England. I thank the Speaker's Panel, which includes Mr Jonathan O'Dea, Deputy Speaker Mrs Leslie Williams, Assistant Speaker Mr Mark Coure, Mrs Felicity Wilson, Ms Sonia Hornery, Mr Gurmesh Singh and Mr Greg Piper. I thank the Leader of the House, Mark Speakman, and the previous Leader of the House, the upright member for Bega, the Hon. Andrew Constance, and the Opposition's Leader of the House, Ryan Park. I thank Adam Crouch of the Whip's Office for a great year. Even though we were not in Parliament much this year, we have had a lot of good times and a lot of bad times, a lot of tears and a lot of anger, but mostly laughing. I thank Ms Stephanie Cooke, who added to the mix of the Whip's Office this year. I also acknowledge Rebecca Cartwright for her work in the Whip's Office this year; Ms Viv Lee, who has taken over Rebecca's role; and Ben Shearer for his work this year. I thank Anna Watson and Colleen from the Opposition. It is a bit hard to tell whether they are in opposition because we get on so well and work so well together, which is fantastic. It keeps the place moving and that is what our jobs are about. I thank the Premier, the Deputy Premier, all Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries and their executive staff. I thank parliamentary liaison officers Michael Evangelidis, Jerome Boutelet and Bryce O'Connor. I thank Clerks Helen, Les, Angie, Ian, Simon, Jack, John and Carly for all their support. I try to have a little bit of fun, and I am sorry for that. Sometimes I go a little too far when I am in the Speaker's chair—but, let's face it, you need to have some fun. I thank the staff of the Legislative Assembly, especially Elaine Schofield, Jonathan Elliott, Bjarne Nortin, Mohini Mehta and Ze Nan Ma. I thank the Table Office staff and the Hansard team. What can I say about the Hansard team? They are just absolutely fantastic. I do not want to sound like I am gloating, but I give Hansard staff members a gift every year. They deserve more than just a gift from all of us. Although everyone says, "Yes, they get paid for it," they do more than is required. Some nights—like last week when we finished at 2.30 a.m.—they still have work to do after we all go home. Again, I thank the team very much for the work they do. I hope they have a restful Christmas before we come back next year. I thank all the Chamber staff—there must be Chamber staff drinks on—and the library staff, the catering staff and the cleaning staff. I congratulate all the cleaners for the job they have done throughout COVID. It is not easy to have so many people wandering around touching things and having to clean and sanitise it all. I thank the special constables. I know I have probably missed out a couple of hundred people in this felicitations speech, so I thank everyone and wish everyone a very peaceful and quiet Christmas. This year will probably be a little different from every other Christmas, but I think next year we will come back bigger and better. I just mention that parliamentary colleagues are parliamentary colleagues. Even though we have differences of agreement, we are all in the same boat; we are all in it together. I look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday. Whatever happens, have a very merry Christmas. Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (17:50:48): I send Christmas greetings to all my constituents and wish them and their families a restful holiday. It is a great honour to represent the people of The Entrance electorate, and I thank them all for the trust they have placed in me. This year Mother Nature threw a lot at the Central Coast. We were affected by fires, which rained ash all over our region during the 2019-2020 bushfire season. No sooner had we brought that under control than we experienced flooding in February. Now we have been confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I thank all the emergency services personnel who gave so much during the fires. They kept at bay what is estimated to be the largest forest fire in Australian history since European settlement. Then they worked hard to clean up after the flooding that affected my electorate in February this year. Now they are helping to fight against the threat of coronavirus. We will get through that if we work together, have regard for our neighbours and work as a community. I thank my community for their support over the past 12 months. With their assistance and guidance, they helped me achieve so much for the community from the Opposition benches. The most obvious expression of that has been the upgrades at railway stations in my electorate. The Government resisted but, with the community's support, we got them. The biggest campaign we ran was on the lifts at Tuggerah. We got letter after letter from the transport Minister saying that we were never going to get the lifts. Well, in this week's budget the first money allocated to that project was announced, and it is all down to my community and the support they have shown me on the Central Coast. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4924

The role of Opposition in a parliamentary democracy is a tough one. The Opposition does not have the resources of the Government and, as Opposition Deputy Whip, I thank my caucus colleagues for their hard work during the year. Personally, I thank them for their support and I thank Opposition Whip Anna Watson. Our office works well, but our office would not work at all without the most hardworking member of the Opposition, Colleen Symington. She keeps us focused and on top of things in this place, and I give her my personal thanks and the thanks of the whole Labor caucus. It has been an honour working with my Labor colleagues and representing Labor in this place. The Opposition is well served by the leadership team of Jodi McKay and Yasmin Catley. I look forward to working with them in a future Labor government. I thank the Labor Party members in The Entrance electorate for their support. I particularly thank Young Labor, its leader Hannah Mercer and her colleagues who have supported me with campaigning throughout the year. The staff of Parliament House do a fantastic job. I have said before that, as a socialist, it gives me great heart to see public servants running things as efficiently as this place runs. I recognise the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Helen Minnican, and her staff; the Department of Parliamentary Services staff; and the library and catering staff—particularly Mai Le, who regularly brings meals to my room through the day. I also thank Hansard for turning my mumbles into intelligent speech. It is a job well done. My marvellous electorate office staff are an extension of Labor's care for our community, and I make particular mention of my senior electoral officer, Catherine Wall, who is a perfect fit for the role. I also thank Danielle Atherden, Alfat Karnib, Peyton Roberts-Garnsey and Rhys Zorro, who are all focused on doing the best work they can for my community. I thank the Speaker and his staff, as well as all the "mini Speakers", for their work. The Speaker has worked hard to improve the operation of the Parliament, something which represents a great contribution to democracy in this State. I thank my partner, Deanne, for her support over the years. She listens to my concerns about the community and I appreciate the different point of view that she provides when helping me deal with problems in my electorate. Over the coming year I want to make sure that more is done about the privatisation of public housing in my electorate, but until then I wish Government members a merry Christmas and I look forward to both working with and beating them where possible in the future. Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:56:15): During the last sitting week for 2020, I congratulate both sides of the House on an interesting, challenging but very rewarding parliamentary year. I wish all members and their families a restful and enjoyable Christmas period before we continue working for the people of New South Wales in 2021. This year has been tough. We have faced bushfires, drought and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted our lives like nothing before. We have learnt a lot this year, and I commend the efforts of individuals across the State who have shown courage and leadership in these times of crisis. Firefighters from Riverwood and Mortdale fire stations battled blazes across the State to protect local communities in areas like Port Macquarie. Local businesses, including Mortdale Wholesalers and the Mortdale Fruit Box Market & Deli, worked together to provide much-needed food, water and sanitary items to areas like Batemans Bay and Mogo. I thank all the frontline workers who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to keep our community safe and operating smoothly. I particularly thank staff at St George Hospital, who have shown outstanding dedication to ensure that COVID-19 testing runs both safely and effectively. I commend the Premier of New South Wales, the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, for going above and beyond to keep our community safe during the pandemic. I also acknowledge the State's outstanding Treasurer, the Hon. Dominic Perrottet, who handed down a fantastic budget on Tuesday that rounded out all his hard work this year in keeping the economy going and setting it up for the year ahead. I acknowledge the many Ministers who visited my electorate of Oatley and the community of St George, including the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, who I believe has visited three times in the past two years. This has been a fantastic year for infrastructure, with the sporting precinct at Poulton Park at Connells Point, the soon-to-be-opened new Service NSW centre at Roselands and upgrades to the Mortdale Maintenance Centre and Gannons Park in Peakhurst all being funded. This is in addition to Penshurst West Public School, Penshurst Public School, Hurstville Grove Infants School and Hurstville Public School receiving extra investment from the Government. All of these projects are either on the verge of completion or have already opened. I will continue to fight for my community to ensure that it has the facilities and infrastructure that will keep people moving as we build for future generations. I thank the Speaker and the entire panel of alternate Speakers, including you, Temporary Speaker Evans. I also thank everyone who works in the Parliament, including the cleaners and caterers, Hansard, the front office and entitlements staff, the library workers and attendants. I extend my gratitude to the Clerks and the Government Whips—the member for Terrigal, the member for Heathcote and the member for Cootamundra—as well as the Opposition Whips. I thank members from both sides of the House, particularly those from the Sutherland shire, and I wish the member for Kogarah and the member for Rockdale the very best. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4925

I cannot conclude my remarks without acknowledging my electorate staff, Team Coure. I thank the ever-reliable, outstanding, calm and brilliant Shane—in fact, I think that Shane may have written this speech— for all the late nights that he has put in to keep my team running smoothly. I cannot thank him enough for everything that he has done over the years. I also thank Justin, Laura and Jared for the incredible job that they have done every day supporting my constituents and the Parliament. I thank them dearly for the hours that they have put in behind the scenes to keep my office running smoothly, and for suffering through cold mornings at local train stations in the process. While this year it was sad to see the likes of the outstanding Diandra, Charlotte and Anna go, I have no doubt that these fine young women will go very far in the future. Finally, I thank my dear wife for all the support that she has given me over the past 10 years. I also thank our two young children, James, who is six and a half, and baby Sam, who is a year and a half, who always make me laugh and are growing up way too fast. I could never do the job that I do and could have never achieved what I have without their help, and for that I am extremely grateful. On behalf of my family I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a blessed start to the new year, as we move away from a year of hardship into a year of opportunity, 2021. Mr DAVID ELLIOTT (Baulkham Hills—Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (18:01:23): I for one cannot wait to see the end of 2020, but it would be remiss of me not to give thanks and show gratitude to the many people who have assisted me in getting through what has been a tough year both professionally and personally. Of course, at the outset I thank my chief of staff, Tanya Raffoul, who has led our team with Churchillian zeal. Those who know me know that that is the highest compliment I could ever pay to anybody. Tanya has not only kept me in line but also six commissioners in line, into all of whom she instilled the fear of God. I thank my unfortunately named deputy chief of staff, Rommel Varghese. As a former army officer, I have great difficulty asking for Rommel to give me advice. We will be changing his name to Monty if I ever return to the Veterans Affairs portfolio, but he does have a thorough grasp of the brief, and for that I am very grateful. I thank Dom Bondar, who organises my regional visits. He challenges me. He has proven that you can go 24 hours without going to the toilet or having a meal because he jams my events into my schedule so tightly, as I am sure the member for Cootamundra and the member for Riverstone are aware. I thank Trish, who always has my back. Do members remember the advert for the Energizer Bunny? Well, I have her working for me now. Her name is Vanessa and she is fantastic. Aster, who is another press secretary, tells me what to think and how to think it. Do members remember M*A*S*H? I am sure that we were all fans of it. Well, I was in the army and we had people like my PA, Kylie. We call her Radar O'Reilly because she always knows what I am about to say or do and where I am about to go. I thank Kim, who always welcomes everybody who comes into my office with a smile, even those who I detest. I thank Verity, who makes all my silly problems within the police portfolio go away. I also thank Ivan. I still do not know exactly what he does, but happy Christmas, mate! I thank Helen, one of the best and most loyal operatives I have ever met in my 34 years as a member of the Liberal Party. I thank Antonella from my electorate office, who is a very calming influence. She certainly puts on a very good morning tea when I am in my electorate. I thank Aaron, who knows more about the mechanics of government than I will ever know. And I thank my driver, Ross, who is an ex-firefighter and knows where all the bodies are buried in the fire brigade. In fact, I suspect that he was at most of the internments! I thank my two Parliamentary Secretaries, Mel Gibbons and Mark Taylor, who have stepped up during this very busy period. Finally, I thank the commissioners and rank-and-file members of the Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the SES, the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, the NSW Police Force and, of course, St John Ambulance. They have done a magnificent job through the bushfires, drought and COVID-19 pandemic, and are fast becoming the new Anzacs. I thank my Federal parliamentary colleague ; my local mayor, Michelle Byrne; and my State Electoral Conference President, Samuel Uno, for a wonderful year. Finally, it would be remiss of me not to thank three very beautiful people: Nicole, Lachlan and William. Thank you. Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra) (18:04:41): Tonight I thank some of the people who have made 2020 memorable for all the right reasons. This year everyone in this Chamber and in every household in the State has adapted to the impact of a global pandemic the likes of which has not been seen for a century. I thank everyone who has worked hard to ensure the important democratic processes of Australia's oldest Parliament could continue, our frontline health and emergency services workers, and everyone who has played their part in managing the pandemic. It has been another year of dedication from the Speaker, and member for Davidson; the Deputy Speaker, and member for Port Macquarie; the Assistant Speaker, and member for Oatley; and the Leader of the House, and member for Cronulla. I acknowledge each of them and acknowledge their hard work in 2020. I also give a shout-out to Alex Gibson. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4926

This year marks my second as The Nationals Whip. I thank the formidable Government Whip, Adam Crouch, for being my partner in crime. Sometimes we are known in this place as the Crouchy and Grouchy show, but it is an absolute honour to serve alongside him. I also thank his offsider Ben Sheath. I thank Deputy Whip Lee Evans for sharing the long hours in this Chamber and my own party, the NSW Nationals, for continuing to show its confidence in me with this esteemed position. Our roles have needed to adapt to COVID restrictions. I particularly acknowledge the cooperation of my colleagues across the aisle: Opposition Whip, and member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson; and the Deputy Opposition Whip, and member for The Entrance. I also acknowledge the work of the upper House Government Whip, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, and the upper House Nationals Whip, Sam Farraway. I congratulate him on stepping up into that role. I thank my Liberal and Nationals colleagues for their contributions to debates and for playing their part in this Government. I thank my Whip's Assistant, Viv Lee, for keeping the Government working on sitting days with our party meetings and for keeping me fed during the long hours at Parliament. The Clerks of this House—Helen, Carly, Simon and their teams—have helped me immeasurably this year. I thank them for their advice and generosity in sharing their knowledge and time. This House does not function without the many staff who make this building a hive of activity: the IT services; the library staff; Chamber attendants Ian, Danny, Monica, Hayley, April, Peter and Chris; the catering team; the special constables; and the diligent Hansard team, who ensure the words spoken in this place will remain long after we have gone. I cannot express how bolstering their kind greetings have been as we go about our work at all hours of the day and night. The ministerial staff have adapted to the challenges of this year with gusto. They continue to do their jobs with professionalism and passion while working from home, helping children with remote learning, managing pets who are ecstatic they have not left the House, or negotiating kitchen tables turned workspaces with housemates. I particularly acknowledge the Premier's chief of staff, Neil Harley, and the Deputy Premier's chief of staff, Siobhan Hamlin, and their respective teams. They should all be extremely proud of the way they have taken the trials of devastating bushfires, a global pandemic and ongoing drought in their stride and continued to work hard for all our communities. I am honoured to serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier, and I thank him for once again leading our party through the challenges and triumphs of this year. Rarely in the century of service by our party have we seen a greater champion of rural and regional New South Wales. I simply would not be able to do my job without my teams in Young and Junee or my office manager, Clare. To my wonderful team, Frances Crowley, Marie Tame and Jenny Littlejohn, who have been with me from the start, and Kimberley Cavanagh, Cath Sheridan, Emma Brown and Angela Fisher, this has been a tremendous year and I am so proud of everything that we have achieved together. As we head towards Christmas, I hope everyone gets the opportunity to spend time with their loved ones in the places they feel most at home. Have a very merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous new year. Mr (Blacktown) (18:09:44): This year's Christmas and seasonal felicitations are different from those of any other years. For most, the end of 2020 cannot come fast enough. We saw bushfires, drought and COVID, resulting in many people suffering mental anguish and economic hardship either through unemployment or difficult business trading. The parliamentary staff have made a fantastic effort to keep the wheels of government turning in these difficult times. I thank the Clerks of this Chamber, Helen and Les, the Speaker of the House and all the Assistant Speakers. I thank Paul Blanch, who visited Blacktown. I am looking forward to the upcoming visit by the Speaker, Jonathan O'Dea, when he comes to Blacktown in a couple of weeks' time. I thank the table officers, the Chamber support people—particularly Ian and Danny—the Hansard people and the hundreds of people working throughout Parliament House. I thank my fellow Labor parliamentarians, the shadow Ministers and the Leader of the Opposition's office staff, who have supported me and helped me out throughout the year. I give special thanks to Jodi McKay, who has done a fantastic job as leader in these difficult times. I thank Anna Watson and all the support Whips and give a special call-out to Colleen Symington, who keeps an active eye on all of us to ensure we are doing whatever we are supposed to be doing. I give special thanks to my Blacktown electoral staff. They are a wonderful team who deal passionately with the local challenges that many of our constituents have. Words cannot adequately express my appreciation of the wonderful effort they all put in. For the record, they include Elizabeth Banks, who is currently on maternity leave, and Angela Humphries, who is ably standing in for her. I wish Ange all success next year in whatever role she may have. Wendy Chen, Justine Ndayi, Sabrina Can and Kimberly Campbell job-share the other two positions and are extremely committed and well coordinated. John Costelloe, Ebony O'Connor and Anthony Carver have stood in from time to time and their professionalism is a credit to our local area. I thank all the local Labor branch members and executive members for volunteering their time to ensure that Labor remains relevant and respected in our local community. I thank my wonderful bride of 26 years, Anne, for all her hard work and volunteering; and my great son, Stephen Jr, for his very important support. I wish Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4927

everybody in this Chamber across the political divide, all employees and everyone involved a wonderful Christmas. May 2021 bring much joy and success. Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (18:12:45): I have been reflecting on this day four years ago, when I was at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The profundity of that experience reflects the miracle of the Christmas season, the humble birth of Jesus, the triumph of good over evil and the true spirit of Christmas in reflecting on the miracles that can be before us. It is an incredibly important message for us to think through at the end of 2020, which has been a challenging year for so many people: droughts, bushfires and then the COVID-19 pandemic. The uplifting message of the Nativity and the Christmas story is being felt by all of us here in Sydney and across New South Wales because we feel as though we have come through an incredibly challenging year. We feel as though we have come through it together and we feel that, while there will be more challenges thrown at us, we can work together to prevail against them. I am looking forward to this Christmas. I feel that it is going to be a particularly special one for me and my family and for many families who have found succour from each other in this challenging year. I acknowledge and thank those who worked so incredibly hard to get us through this year—the frontline workers and the people who have been doing the heavy lifting to fight this pandemic. They are our police, our health staff, our teachers, our supermarket staff and particularly our cleaners, when we think about how much we need their support. We are incredibly fortunate in the important work of the contact tracing teams in NSW Health—those public health experts who are now heroes. I thank the people of the North Shore. None of us are here without our constituents. I get a lot of frank and fearless advice from my constituents but also an incredible amount of support and feedback. This year has been a particularly interesting year again for me, with the arrival of my son Henry just two months ago. The welcome that he received from my community has been bar none. I thank my community for the support that they have given me to enable me to do my job while also juggling the glories of a newborn baby. I thank those who help the Parliament function, the hardworking individuals from the many different departments and services: the Hansard team; IT; the front desk; the cafe staff; the attendants; the Clerk, Helen Minnican, and her team; security; maintenance and cleaning; and everyone who keeps Parliament moving. As I sit on four parliamentary committees now, I thank all of the committee staff, including Elaine Schofield, Caroline Hopley, Aden Baites, Madeleine Dowd, Ze Nan Ma, Stephanie Mulvey, Elspeth Dyer, Dora Oravecz and Bjarne Nordin. I also thank my parliamentary colleagues and acknowledge them, particularly the Premier, who has worked tirelessly this year for the people of New South Wales in the face of the natural disasters and the pandemic. She has navigated through the pandemic with the support of the health Minister, Brad Hazzard, and the Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant. I thank all three of them for their leadership and their continuous work throughout the year. I mention some colleagues who have given me significant support this year. As I mentioned, bringing a new baby into Parliament—he was about seven weeks old when I first came back after a brief few weeks away— took a lot of support from the Speaker and the Whip and their teams. I thank Jonathan O'Dea, his staff member Georgia and the entire panel of Speakers, as well as the Whip, Adam Crouch, and his staff member Ben for the changes that they made to enable me to come back in to this place. I acknowledge my electorate office team; my senior electorate officer, Lisa Forrest; and the team who have worked with me here throughout the year, Chris McDermott, Tamika Dartnell-Moor—who was stolen from my by Mr , but I wish her well— Natalie Windle and Niamh Cronin. Thank you for supporting our community and working tirelessly with me, particularly when I have been in and out of the office with pregnancy and a new baby. I thank my branch members and my conference, who have also risen to the challenge this year trying to find new ways to engage and provide advice and feedback and work together, the entire North Shore State Electoral Conference and the branches. Most importantly, I am grateful to have the support of my family. I would not have been here last week and this week with baby Henry if I did not have my husband, Sam, helping me to breastfeed and get to speeches, committee meetings and around the Parliament. It is a very interesting challenge for working parents and we truly are a team. I think it would be very hard to do this job, and probably many others, without the support of a partner. We definitely approach this job and serving our community as a team. I acknowledge my two young children, Eleanor and Henry, and my entire family. Thank you all for your continuing love and support, and merry Christmas. Mr (Fairfield) (18:17:37): It is with pleasure that I extend felicitations for the festive season. I hope that everyone has a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. It has been a particularly challenging year for everyone, and I am sure we are all looking forward to spending valuable time with our families. I thank the Clerks of the Legislative Assembly and all the people who work hard to keep this place going. I thank the Speaker, Jonathan O'Dea; the Assistant Speaker; the Deputy Speaker; and the Temporary Speakers. They have a difficult job and we appreciate their contribution. I thank the Government Whip, and member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, and the Opposition Whip, and member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson. We appreciate Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4928

their support. A special thank you to our secretary in the Opposition Whip's office, Colleen Symington, for her support and work throughout the year. I thank the Leader of the House, the Attorney General, and member for Cronulla, Mark Speakman; and for the Opposition, the member for Keira, my great mate Ryan Park. He does a great job in leadership, guidance and direction for the House. I thank everyone in the Table Office and the Hansard staff for all the work that they do. Theirs is a mammoth task and we appreciate their support. I also thank the Legislative Assembly attendants who look after us in the Chamber. Your patience is much appreciated. I thank all the people in Parliament who keep the House going: our stalwart security, who make sure we are all safe; the cleaners; the dining room staff; the Cafe Quorum staff; and all the chefs and food service crew. The food and service in Parliament House is top standard and we thank you very much for your efforts in ensuring it is so. I also pay special thanks to my electorate office staff—my senior electorate officer, Stella Patane; Jess Daniele; George Barcha; and Katerina Sotiropoulos—for their support for me personally, but more importantly to the people of Fairfield, who have bestowed upon us the great honour of representation. I also thank the Leader of the Opposition, Jodi McKay, for her wonderful leadership and guidance. A big thanks also to my Labor colleagues and shadow Ministers who have been fighting the good fight this year. Well done and I look forward to doing it all again next year. Thanks also to my backbench colleagues for their work fighting for better outcomes in their respective communities. I also thank the people of Fairfield for their constant support. Fairfield is a great place to live and I will continue to do my best for the community. I thank my wife, Melissa, and our four children for the love and support that they give me in order to do this job. I really appreciate it. The COVID-19 pandemic was an occurrence the world did not anticipate. It has led to much hardship, loss of life and a re-evaluation of the way we go about our everyday lives. Several groups of people in our wider community stood out as everyday heroes and they deserve special thanks. I thank the hospital medics and staff, nurses, teachers, cleaners, police, bus drivers, emergency service workers, Australia Post delivery drivers, train drivers and all other transport drivers, and supermarket and retail staff. All of these people in these professions in some way or another have put the needs of the community first and themselves last to keep New South Wales going. We have one of the best records of containment of the coronavirus and it is due to the hard work that these people put in to make sure our communities were safe. Not only did they have to perform their regular duties but they also had to change the way they perform these duties for the benefit and safety of others. They sacrificed time with their families and friends, and worked long hours under extraordinary conditions, often risking their own safety for the sake of others. There are no other words that can be used to thank our frontline essential workers. However, I express my gratitude and I am sure I can speak for the rest of New South Wales when I say their extraordinary efforts have been noticed and we are deeply thankful for their efforts and sacrifice. Thank you. Before I make my final comments, it would be remiss of me not to thank the Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, for her efforts this year, starting at the beginning of the year under difficult circumstances, as well as the Ministers and all colleagues across the Chamber. Christmas is a time of giving. It is a time of peace, love and joy. This Christmas as a member of this House I wish all people a very merry Christmas and a safe holiday and new year. To those who do not observe the Christmas tradition, I wish you and your loved ones a safe and restful holiday season. Felicitations to all. May 2021 bring us much laughter, health and prosperity. Mrs (Goulburn) (18:22:32): Christmas is my favourite time of the year. It is a time to reflect on the achievements throughout the last 12 months. It is also a time to be grateful and reflect on the hard work and be thankful to all those who have helped to make these great things possible. As I have said many times before, I am truly blessed to represent the wonderful people of the Goulburn electorate. I am extremely proud to be part of a government that delivers for regional New South Wales. My electorate commitments continue to be delivered and I am pleased to see their progress to date. To name a few, there is the Moss Vale Bypass, the Goulburn Aquatic and Leisure Centre redevelopment, the redevelopment of the Goulburn Base Hospital, the upgrades to the Crookwell District Hospital and the new hall for Yass High School. There are many to mention and it is wonderful to see them progressing. A few other milestones for my electorate include $8 million recently announced for the Wombeyan Caves Road. I know the community there is so grateful after a long battle to try to secure funding. The road will support a $9.6 million upgrade to Wombeyan Caves tourism. It is fantastic for that area, which was very much affected by bushfires and then floods this year. The showground stimulus package has brought over $1 million to my electorate. The contract that has just been announced for the drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility is very welcome. There is a lot happening in Goulburn and surrounds and I am truly blessed to be representing the constituents I am honoured to serve. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4929

This year has presented many challenges, including drought, fires and, of course, the pandemic. But I know the people of New South Wales will bounce back stronger than ever. I thank the emergency services personnel for their ongoing efforts, as well as their families, who have to endure not seeing them at Christmas. It has been a very, very tough year and they have been absolutely amazing in the work they have done. Not only in my electorate but also across the whole State, what a challenging year it has been for our health staff, our teachers and our police officers. Thank you for your ongoing efforts and your flexibility in what has been a most difficult time. The Parliament would not be able to function without the support of a number of departments and services and the people within them. I thank all of them: parliamentary staff, ministerial staff, my five local councils— with whom I have a great relationship—and the community organisations and groups who contact me and keep me informed about what is happening on the ground and about their needs and wants. They put their trust in me and I am so happy to be working on their behalf. I cannot do what I do without the wonderful support of my electorate team—Alicia, Paige and Cheryl. Their support, dedication and commitment to the people of the electorate is truly commendable and appreciated. I know that after the year we have faced the Christmas holidays cannot come quickly enough. Being a member of the Berejiklian Government truly is a great honour and a privilege. I acknowledge and thank the Premier, in particular, for all her support, and I thank my parliamentary colleagues for their support and everything they do for me and for the people of New South Wales. I also thank my very good branch members, who have supported me throughout the year during what has been a very difficult time. Finally, I thank my family—my beautiful husband, Michael, and my gorgeous granddaughter, Lette, and my sons, Tom and Bradley, and their partners. Thank you for your understanding and support throughout the year. I look forward to having a beautiful big family Christmas with them. I look forward to the year ahead and to continuing to deliver for the communities of the Goulburn electorate. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and I hope you all enjoy a lovely break with quality time with your families. Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect) (18:26:27): Christmas is a special time of the year for my family and me, as it is a time we spend surrounded by our loved ones, family and friends. It is a time when we give thanks and praise for all the blessings we have received over the past 12 months. This year was extremely difficult for many in our community. Tragically, many lives and livelihoods were lost as a result of catastrophic bushfires, severe floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is only right that we honour those lives and keep their loved ones in our memory as we navigate through this difficult period. On numerous occasions I have reiterated what an honour and privilege it is to stand in this Chamber and represent the families living in the electorate of Prospect. I thank all those individuals who have assisted me throughout this challenging year. To my hardworking electorate staff—David Weston, Annie Wang, Karl Stewart, Michael Kolokossian and Brooke Unsworth—I thank you for your dedication to our office. It was not easy at times but together we achieved the best result for the people of Prospect, and will do so again throughout 2021. I also thank my parliamentary colleagues. Regardless of our political differences, we are all here for one purpose: to serve the people of New South Wales. I particularly thank you for the care and the support you provided to me personally during the bushfire season and its aftermath. I will never forget this, nor will members of my RFS brigade or my family. I thank you for your support and wish you and your families all the best for 2021. To the dedicated Clerks, the Deputy Clerks and the Hansard team, thank you for your diligence, dedication and care. To our special constables and NSW Police Force officers, thank you for providing a safe environment for all of us here at Parliament, regardless of the day or the hour. Your tireless efforts and service are greatly appreciated. To those working behind the scenes—our dedicated Department of Parliamentary Services staff, IT, cleaners, maintenance and the kitchen team—thank you for providing a service that cannot be faulted. It is thanks to you that this Parliament runs as effectively as it does. Finally, I thank my beautiful family—my wife, Bettina, and our three children, Geneva, Camille and Olivia. Every action I take and every statement that I make in this place I do to ensure you are proud of me. You are my greatest motivation. I pray that everyone has a safe holiday, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones. Merry Christmas and God bless. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I thank the member for Prospect. Merry Christmas to you and to your family as well. Dr JOE McGIRR (Wagga Wagga) (18:29:33): On behalf of the Independent members—me, the member for Lake Macquarie and the member for Sydney—I thank all those who have helped us in our work this year and wish them, our communities and the State a happy Christmas, a Christmas when I hope we can all spend time with our loved ones. I know it will be a Christmas when we reflect on the extraordinary events of 2020. It is Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4930

a great privilege to represent our communities and we are very thankful to all those who have helped us do that. In particular, we thank parliamentary staff including Helen Minnican and the parliamentary Clerks; the Table Office and committee secretariats; the Hansard staff; the catering staff; the library; police and security staff; and Jack Kerkvleit. We also thank Mark Webb and the Department of Parliamentary Services staff. Thank you for helping us to adapt, in the Parliament and in our offices, to the challenges of the year and for the additional support provided during the fires, the pandemic and the cross-border issues. A special thankyou goes to the cleaners and maintenance workers in the building—as the Premier said, one of the most important roles in our State Parliament. And a big shout-out to all the staff in all the electorate offices throughout the State, but especially to those whose communities have been affected by drought and bushfires I thank my staff, without whom I could not do the work I do: Jennie Meiklejohn, Jody Lindbeck, Kelly Hewson, Daniela Gooden and Lizzie Paradice. I thank Rachelle Kell and Mario Olsen. I also thank Steff Wills, who left our office during the year but whose contribution was very much appreciated. Thank you to the Press Gallery and our local journalists—without you, democracy does not work We also thank our parliamentary colleagues the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Assistant Speaker and Temporary Speakers and their staff. In particular, on a personal note, I acknowledge the professional development program that the Speaker has introduced; it has been astounding. We particularly thank the Premier, the Deputy Premier, the Ministers of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition and her team, and our parliamentary colleagues for negotiating this year of crises. We thank the members of the crossbench, the Leader of the House, the Manager of Opposition Business and the Whips. We thank departmental staff and the staff of Ministers and shadow Ministers, who help us to have the information we need to do our jobs well. We also thank especially the frontline workers in the State, who in the bushfires and the pandemic have turned up for us, to protect us, to treat us and to keep us safe, putting their lives on the line. I particularly thank my Independent colleagues for their support during the year. I acknowledge especially the families of all MPs for their support. I particularly thank my wife, Kerin Fielding, for her wonderful support during the past year and always. I also acknowledge our family, Lara and Duncan, Natasha, Dylan and Anna. This was a special year for our family as we welcomed our first grandchild, Rachel Harriet. Finally, we deeply thank our communities for their trust in us and for their support through this very tough year. I hope that this year Christmas will be one when we can thankfully spend precious time with our loved ones while we reflect on the year that has been, acknowledging the sufferings of our fellow citizens, making sure that we live in solidarity with them, and living the ideals of peace and goodwill to all. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I thank the member for Wagga Wagga. I wish him and his family and first grandchild a very merry Christmas as well. Mr JUSTIN CLANCY (Albury) (18:33:01): COVID barely touched my community with direct illness, but this year we have certainly felt the impact of the border restrictions on daily life and work. COVID has certainly taken a hammer to 2020. It has been a year when, cruelly, private events, surgeries, child care and last farewells have so often required people to tell their close stories to strangers in order to obtain a crossing permit or exemption from isolation or quarantine through Sydney. Each day we strive to assist with compassion. I acknowledge that we have not always been able to deliver that which was sought. We are all looking forward to the opening of the border next Monday, but for now the daily work continues—as I know the staff of Health and Service NSW understand as well—to get family members where they need to be in times of distress or loss and to help businesses send employees to where the work is. In this Advent season, as we prepare for Christmas, I am reminded that this is a time to focus on hope. It has been said that Christmas is not a story of hope. It is hope. Surely, as we near the end of 2020, the practice of hope should be on our wish lists. I say the practice of hope because hope, like most good things, does not just sit on the shelf waiting for us to pick it up. Hope is more elusive. We have to look out for it, and bring our senses and sensibilities to bear on the task. Our hope might be generously wide for peace, prosperity, community wellbeing for everyone and for yourself. Hope lifts the spirit and helps us to endure. May this be a time of renewal in our daily lives, among our friendship groups and in our families. I have enjoyed much support this year from my colleagues in this place. In particular, I thank all those who have picked up the phone to call me to see how we are faring along the border. I welcome your words of comfort and encouragement. I single out and thank the Premier, the Deputy Premier, the Minister for Finance and Small Business, and the Minister for Police and Emergency Services who have followed through on the charter of their roles in government to get down to Albury to see for themselves how the border closure and restrictions were impacting on residents and businesses. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4931

I thank the Speaker, all my parliamentary colleagues, and all who work in Parliament and in electorate offices across our State. In particular, I thank my electorate office staff. I thank my family: my wife, Tabitha, and our three children, Xavier, Seamus and Natalie. But, most importantly, I thank my community for their perseverance through what has been a challenging time. Again, I hope that this Christmas is a period of hope. My wish for them and for all is hope. This has seen us through a tumultuous year and will light the way for us in 2021. I wish all a happy Christmas from my family to yours. Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie) (18:36:03): Last year we had never heard of words like "COVID" and "coronavirus". Who knew where Wuhan was? What did "social distancing" mean? What did lockdown entail? It has been a difficult year, no question. But, as a person who is ever an optimist, I think there is so much for us to be thankful for. I am thankful that I live in an incredibly beautiful place and I am so very thankful that I live in a community where people care about each other, look out for each other, and go above and beyond to support each other. Our local community demonstrated their resilience and their compassion following the dreadful fires of 2019 that ravaged communities up and down the coast, and in 2020 they continued to show that same compassion. I thank each and every one of them for the role they have played, no matter how big or how small, to make sure that we worked alongside each other and were there for each other so everybody felt supported and cared for during some very difficult times. Whether you are a frontline worker—a nurse, doctor, police officer, a teacher, a small business owner, a member of the emergency services, a support worker, a community volunteer—to each of you I extend my sincerest thanks. Everybody across the breadth of our community has stepped up and that is what makes me so proud to be the member for Port Macquarie. I wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas, and extend to you my best wishes for 2021. I thank my parliamentary colleagues across the political divide who have supported me during the past year. We are all strong, passionate and dedicated representatives of our communities, and I consider it an honour and a privilege to share my work life with each of you. It has been a challenging year on many levels but I have been very appreciative of the support I have received. I look forward to working alongside you all in 2021 and wish you and your families a very merry Christmas. In my role as Deputy Speaker, I have received tremendous support from the staff across the Parliament, particularly from the office of the Clerk. To Helen, Simon and Carly and all the team, enjoy your Christmas holidays and I thank you for your time mentoring and guiding me in this privileged role as Deputy Speaker. To the Hansard staff, sitting in the chair during many lively debates in this House, I just do not know how they manage to make what is sometimes said in here translate into what resembles logical commentary in the Hansard. No doubt you will all be relishing some time away from this place. Best wishes to you and your families. To the catering staff and the outstanding team in Cafe Quorum, thank you for your very efficient delivery of coffee each morning. What would we do without you all? Enjoy your holidays and time with your family and loved ones. To all the teams across the Parliament—Building Services, library, Table Office, cleaners and the special constables—thank you especially for watching out over us. To my colleagues on the Speaker's Panel, led by our wonderful Speaker, thank you for your friendship and professionalism in your roles. We are a great team—and that includes you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I do not think there is a more supportive group across the Parliament. We are always willing to assist each other and take the chair when needed. Merry Christmas to you all. I look forward to working alongside you in 2021. To my electorate office staff—Terry, Sarah, Brendan, Will and Lesley—it has certainly been a year to remember and I know I would not have been able to do it without you. You are such passionate, caring and dedicated people. The people of Port Macquarie are so very fortunate to have you. I look forward to sharing Christmas celebrations with you all in the weeks ahead. Finally, to my husband, Don, you are just a legend— always there, always supportive. We have had a year of much reflection, much contemplation and way too many wines. Now I look forward to some time at home in the holiday season. To all my parliamentary colleagues, I wish you a very merry Christmas and I look forward to joining you all in this House in 2021. Mr (Lakemba) (18:40:15): What a year it has been. We have heard speaker after speaker say the same thing—that we have lived through the toughest of times. Last year when we gave our felicitations nobody would have thought this year we would talk about the horror of 2021. Whether it started with the fires, floods or COVID-19, we have seen the very best of people in the worst of circumstances. We have seen just how good we can be when we desperately need it. I think about the times when communities came together to support those who had lost their homes or loved ones during the fires and it continued during the time of COVID-19. We have also seen some serious changes to the way we live our lives. When COVID-19 first hit there was a wave of panic when people did not know what to do. We saw some things that probably did not appeal to our better selves. Thankfully, we were able to get it together and see, like any time, communities come together. I take this opportunity to congratulate and thank my community once again for the hundreds and hundreds of food parcels they put together, the phone calls to the elderly and for making sure that everybody was okay. It is a year Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4932

during which people have done it tough, but suffice to say we are learning to live with what is considered the new normal. I hope this does not become the new normal and we will be able to get over this period. It is a great symbol that during this time the Parliament of New South Wales was able to keep running. After the sittings of the Parliament were truncated for a while we felt it was good to be back. There was a genuine desire to come back and work with others. It was a year when we stood together. I thank my incredible team. I have several part-timers. I acknowledge Semaya, Leisel, Targrid, Dillon, Beryl, Ahmed and Chenille who come in every now and then for their great work. I thank the Speaker and the Speaker's office. I echo the sentiments of the member for Wagga Wagga: The leadership course has been absolutely fantastic. I give a shout-out and send a thankyou to my parliamentary colleagues with whom I spar quite often. It could be the Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services and member for Kiama, or the Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education and member for Parramatta. There have been opportunities to make things personal but we have not done so. We have made sure that if we argue, we will argue the point and not the person. I think that is important to do. I also take a special moment to acknowledge the Minister for Health and Medical Research and his office. I cannot imagine what a year it has been for him. I had to work with them closely when COVID-19 came to our area. On my side, the member for Strathfield and Leader of the Opposition, Ms Jodie McKay, and my parliamentary colleagues have been fantastic. I will start by acknowledging the Parliament House cleaners. I thank Irma, especially, for her work. She makes sure that every single day my office looks shipshape. The IT team has been fantastic, as has catering. We know that a lot of people in catering lost their jobs. The Table Office staff are always are so pleasant and amazing. The Clerk, Helen, and Simon, Carly and the team are always so helpful and friendly. I thank the Hansard team for making sense of what we say and the terrible notes we provide. I thank the library and the special constables. I finish by thanking the people who put us in this place—those who elect us and make that call for us to be members of Parliament. I thank my community of Lakemba for the trust they have placed in me and the support they give me. I thank the ones who give us the most support—our families, our colleagues—and, most importantly, the desire to make a genuine difference. We will be back next year and next year we will continue to be better and, hopefully, serve as a good example of just what a democracy can be. Mr GARETH WARD (Kiama—Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services) (18:44:39): To borrow a phrase, I rise with friendship for all and malice to none. Ms Anna Watson: That is unusual. Mr GARETH WARD: I acknowledge the interjection from my wonderful friend the member for Shellharbour, who knows all too much about malice. I thank everybody in the Chamber and wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happier New Year. The year that we have had has been an extraordinary challenge for the people of our great State, but we have been resilient, strong and determined, and we will get through this. I am sure 2021 will be a much better year for all of us and our communities. I start by thanking my electorate. You cannot be a member of Parliament, a Minister or even a Premier without your electorate. I thank the people of the Kiama electorate, who have been very generous to me. I certainly will continue to work hard for them. I thank the Premier, who has been an outstanding leader of this State, particularly during these very difficult times. I also acknowledge the Premier's former chief of staff, Sarah Cruickshank, and current chief of staff, Neil Harley. I pay tribute to my friends and colleagues Michael Evangelidis, Bryce O'Connor, Taylor Gramoski, Alex Goodenough and Arminé Nalbandian for their great work. I thank the real Whips, Ben Sheath and Colleen Symington, for their great work, but I also acknowledge my two wonderful friends the member for Shellharbour and the member for Terrigal for keeping us all in line. I pay a very special tribute to the people who have worked so diligently. I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them and I could not do the job I do without my team. They have all made sacrifices to work for and with me, and I am so proud of each and every one of them: Loki Ball, Mitch Clout, Jordan Matthews, James Malin, Alex Briggs, Matthew Barden, Elizabeth Cunneen, Anne King, Cuneo, John-Paul Brookes, Renae Fowler, Jesse Martin, Melissa Jobson, Paulla Turnbull, Anna Watson—the good Anna Watson— Ben Blackburn, Bryan Fishpool and Mia Watson. I also acknowledge the whole Department of Communities and Justice, which has made such a huge effort throughout this period. I think the social services sector has done a brilliant job and we should thank them all for that, particularly our secretary, Michael Coutts-Trotter, and deputy secretaries Paul Vevers, Simone Czech and Simone Walker. I acknowledge my outstanding Parliamentary Secretary, Mel Gibbons—the best Parliamentary Secretary I have ever had. She does a phenomenal job and I thank her. I also thank the Liberal Party. This year is our party's seventy-fifth year and we celebrate a time when 18 parties came together to form our party. I thank the Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4933

members of my party locally and across the State. I thank party president Mark Crocksford and my campaign director, Paul Ell, who both do a great job. I especially thank , my adopted political mother—some would say my evil political mother—who does a wonderful job, along with her chief of staff, Luke Sikora, deputy chief of staff, Sean O'Connor, and her band of travelling minstrels. I also thank my mum and dad. I am fortunate enough to still have my parents, and I am very grateful for their love and support. I also thank my brothers, Arthur and Scott, and my sister, Belinda, as well as my nephews, Ben and Thorin, and my nieces, Emily, Chloe and Azura. All of them are a great source of strength to me. All of us gain great strength because our families support us in these roles. If it were not for the support our families give us, none of us could do the wonderful work in this place. Finally, I thank my shadow Ministers, in no particular order: Penny Sharpe; the member for Lakemba, Jihad Dib; as well as , and Ryan Park. We have a wonderful working relationship. I make the observation that when it comes to this particular portfolio there is not a Liberal thing or a Labor thing to do; there is just a right thing to do. I thank them for the way they have engaged with me this year to help the vulnerable, and I am sure that will continue. Merry Christmas and a wonderful and safe New Year to all members, friends one and all. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: The question is that the House take note of Christmas felicitations. Motion agreed to. Business of the House SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (18:49:27): By leave: I move: That this House at its rising this day do adjourn until Tuesday 9 February 2021 at 12.00 noon. This motion provides that the House does not need to sit on the reserve sitting days of 25 and 26 November. As members would be aware, earlier the House passed a motion to allow the House to continue this sitting day, including breaking and resuming on the ringing of a long bell to consider messages from the Legislative Council. Any resumption of business on the ringing of the long bell, even if it occurs next week, is a continuation of the current sitting day. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to. Motion agreed to. Private Members' Statements 2CONNECT Mr STEPHEN KAMPER (Rockdale) (18:50:37): I congratulate 2Connect, a fantastic local not-for-profit organisation in my electorate, and I thank it for its recent Step Up! Links to Learning program and its fantastic CEO, Ms Valentina Angelovska. I also congratulate Ms Joanne Homsi, 2Connect's general manager, and the entire project team who have delivered this amazing program, including Mr Paul Deeb, Duong Tran, Nicole Scobie, Jacqui Zdravkovski and Stuart Langley. I was lucky enough to see how Paul interacted with some of the children involved in this program, and it was plain to see just how much the students trusted and respected him. Without a doubt, this sort of connection between the 2Connect staff and the students is a large part of the reason this program works so well. The Links to Learning program is funded by the New South Wales Department of Education and delivered by 2Connect in partnership with several of my local schools. The program delivers learning support to students in year 6 and above who are from culturally and linguistically diverse and Indigenous backgrounds and those facing other disadvantage where those students are assessed as being at risk of disengaging from learning. I was lucky enough to join fantastic local principals Ms Pamela Ladd and Mrs Amy Ha at Arncliffe Public School recently, where students completing the program received certificates for their hard work. These students were in the program because they lacked confidence in their school work, but at the end of the program that could not have been further from the truth. Every one of these students got up to speak in public. At their age I would not have been able to do what they did on the day, and I am here in Parliament speaking quite regularly now. I was extremely proud of the outcome I saw. It was truly impressive to see just how large an impact the Links to Learning program had on these students. Having been students who may have had difficulties engaging with school, it was really exciting to see just how much enthusiasm for learning they had after finishing the program. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4934

Links to Learning works by delivering programs to small groups of students over a period of around 10 weeks. The programs are specifically tailored to each group of students' needs. Creative learning programs are fostered and encouraged, including in areas such as arts and music, sport and fitness, building self-esteem and respect, mental health and wellbeing, handling emotions and challenges, and handling racism and bullying. Each individual program is created in consultation with the student group that will go through it, and I think it is in large part thanks to this collaborative approach that we are seeing such great results in our local schools. We know that every child is different, so it should be a no-brainer that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with educational challenges. It is this philosophy that serves 2Connect so well. For those participating in this program, the results are truly astonishing. Last year 372 at-risk students completed the program, and of those 98 per cent were reported as re-engaging positively with education. On top of that, the students love it, with 97 per cent of those involved reporting the program as being excellent. In politics we think we are doing well if we can get just over half of the people to support us. Without a doubt, 2Connect is operating much better than we are. I also pay tribute to the five schools in my electorate that are engaged in the 2Connect program: Arncliffe Public School, Rockdale Public School, Athelstane Public School, Brighton-Le-Sands Public School and Bexley Public School. 2Connect is a partnership, and without the support and dedication of the staff and teachers at these schools, students would not be able to see the benefits of Links to Learning funding. Links to Learning is funded by the Department of Education. Without this funding, these results would not be possible. I implore the Government to continue to support this program and to expand it to more students. I guarantee members opposite that every dollar invested in the program is returned to the State tenfold through its brilliant results. 2Connect is a brilliant organisation that delivers amazing programs. I strongly encourage the Government to increase the funding being offered from Links to Learning so that groups like 2Connect can continue to provide incredible support to my local area. The ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I thank the member for Rockdale for speaking on an outstanding organisation in 2Connect, which I also visited a couple of weeks ago. NORTH SHORE ELECTORATE SCHOOLS Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (18:55:40): I recognise that students, teachers and the wider school community in my electorate of North Shore have done it tough this year but have persevered through it all. Due to COVID-19, many students and teachers had to adapt to online learning from home and therefore missed out on many school activities such as sporting carnivals, school fairs, concerts and musicals, as well as being with their friends. There is no better learning environment than the classroom, and I know that there was a lot of joy and excitement at North Shore schools when friends were reunited and teachers had their students back in the classroom. I especially thank local principals, teachers and staff from across the North Shore, who have all shown great resilience during this difficult year, as well as students and their families for assisting schools with learning from home. Although it has been difficult this year, I have still tried to be as involved with as many local schools as possible. Throughout the year I ran a number of initiatives for students, such as the recently finalised North Shore Christmas card competition, where students in kindergarten to year 2 from local primary schools submit wonderful artwork to be adorned on the front of our Christmas cards. I congratulate this year's winner, Brendan from Middle Harbour Public School, and runners-up Brecken Cullen from St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Grace Treloar from Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School and Lily from North Sydney Demonstration School. I thank the hundreds of students who submitted their artwork, which brought such joy to me and my office staff when we looked through them. Next week I look forward to hosting the North Shore Bear Pit Public Speaking Competition, where I welcome students into this Chamber to deliver speeches. I am excited to join with these students as I welcome them into the Parliament in a COVID-safe manner. Every year I also award the North Shore Medal to one student from each local school who is deemed to have demonstrated excellence in attitude and exhibited a commitment to the ethos of their school and has been a strong and consistent participant in school and community activities. I congratulate the recipients so far: Pratham Gupta from Cammeraygal High School and Molly Gallagher from Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College. The Government is continuing to invest record amounts in public education in New South Wales to ensure that every child gets the best start in life. After the challenges presented by COVID-19, in 2021 local families and school staff will see work begin on major upgrades to Mosman High School and North Sydney Demonstration School. We have worked with the school community to get rid of demountables and co-design state-of-the-art new buildings that will help deliver the learning needs of students and school staff and meet future growth. The Government is also progressing with the upgrade to Neutral Bay Public School, whose community has been Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4935

working diligently for many years to deal with the incredible challenges of the heritage and space constraints on the site. The budget handed down this week saw record investment into public schools. The Government is investing in 100 extra school-based nurses, hiring more qualified school counsellors to support the mental health and wellbeing of families and students, and green lighting 1,000 projects for hundreds of eligible public schools as part of the larger metro renewal project. I thank the Treasurer and the education Minister for the work they do to ensure these investments are made where they are needed. I thank the staff from my local school St Aloysius' College, including principals Joe El-Khoury and Mark Tannock. I also thank Dr Briony Scott and Justine Lind from Wenona School; Dr Timothy Petterson and Nick Saunders from Shore School; Stephen Webber and Ari Guha from Redlands school; Megan Connors from North Sydney Girls High School; Robyn Hughes from North Sydney Boys High School; and Judy Goodsell from Neutral Bay Public School. I note that there is a former North Sydney Girls High School student in the Chamber. Mrs Shelley Hancock: I am here. Ms FELICITY WILSON: Finally, I thank Susan Wyatt from Mosman High School; Nicole Christensen from Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College; Anna Dickinson from Loreto Kirribilli; Kathy Melky from Cammeraygal High School; Louise O'Brien from Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School; Marion Walsh-Gay from Beauty Point Public School; Peter Grimes from Mosman Preparatory School; Tony Duncan from Marist College North Shore; Steve Connelly from Mosman Public School; Julie Caldwell from Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School; Fiona Davis, who has recently joined North Sydney Demonstration School and will have her first build underway soon; Laura Barry and Carole Jaye from Middle Harbour Public School; and Angela Toohey and Elizabeth Stone from Queenwood School for Girls. I thank all the teachers and staff from these local schools for providing the best education for our kids. I have enjoyed working with them in my time as a member of Parliament and I look forward to joining them soon and recognising our students at the end of what has been a challenging year. Thank you and merry Christmas. HURSTVILLE TRAFFIC SAFETY Mr CHRIS MINNS (Kogarah) (19:00:39): I speak on a matter of great importance to the Kogarah electorate, that is, the safety and traffic arrangements in the suburb of Hurstville. More than a year has passed since the tragic death of local student Ryan Wang on Forest Road in Hurstville. Out of respect for his parents, friends and family I will not repeat the awful details of what occurred on that terrible day. In the days and weeks after the incident our community rallied around a call for improved safety for children going to and from school. School principals, members of the P&C, students and their parents all called for changes. More than 15,000 people signed a petition to demand safer streets around schools. The principals and head teachers of Hurstville Public School, Hurstville Boys High School, Sydney Technical College, Bethany College and St Mary's Star of the Sea in Hurstville led a campaign on behalf of their students and their communities and came up with a set of road safety proposals that are necessary to keep students safe. The key proposal is to create an educational precinct around all the schools, with a permanent 40 kilometre per hour speed limit. In addition to improved signage and the installation of heavy-duty safety bollards and barriers, this forms part of the sensible and achievable pedestrian safety plan. Meetings were set up with representatives of Bayside Council, Georges River Council and the NSW Police Force to discuss their concerns, and as the local member I was involved in these meetings and had numerous discussions with Government members. I received a detailed and constructive response on this issue from the member for Miranda in her capacity as the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Roads that confirmed that Transport for NSW is looking into the feasibility of the 40 kilometre an hour school zone. This is welcome news. Transport for NSW is also working with the Georges River Council on a study of traffic and safety conditions around the schools, which has unfortunately been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am not criticising the New South Wales Government or the Georges River Council for their responses, but these studies need to be completed and the results made public by the end of the year. The time for studies is over. We need action now on school safety measures so that they are in place for the start of the 2021 school year. I urge the Minister for Roads and Transport to act. Initial discussions around this dangerous intersection were encouraging, but the studies need to be concluded so that we can begin the process of making the community safe for our schoolchildren. STATE BUDGET AND SOUTH COAST ELECTORATE Mrs SHELLEY HANCOCK (South Coast—Minister for Local Government) (19:03:40): The New South Wales budget was handed down this week and South Coast residents have much to celebrate, with investments being made in transport, health, local facilities and education. I am also pleased with the changes that Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4936

have been made to payroll tax and stamp duty, and the announcement of the Out & About voucher scheme. All of these changes will have a positive impact on my community. South Coast businesses have had a hard year, with drought, fire and flood causing major losses across the region all before the pandemic reached our shores. Major payroll tax relief in the budget will enable South Coast businesses to hire more staff and keep their doors open. The payroll tax rate will be cut from 5.45 per cent to 4.85 per cent for a two-year period, backdated to 1 July 2020, and the threshold will be permanently increased from $1 million to $1.2 million. On average, businesses liable for payroll tax could save around $34,000 a year over the next two years. This will help South Coast businesses hire additional staff and give current staff more hours, supporting jobs and boosting our local economy. In 2017 this Government's decision to increase the threshold from $750,000 to $1 million made an incredible difference for small and medium businesses and was welcomed in the community. I welcome these further increases to the threshold. I have always advocated for our Government to decrease taxation as much as it responsibly can, and I am proud of this reform and of our Government's record. The newly created $500 million Out & About voucher program, which will give all residents $100 worth of digital vouchers to use at eateries and on arts and tourism attractions across New South Wales, is further great news for the residents and businesses of the South Coast. No industry has felt the economic impacts of this horrific year more than the hospitality, arts and tourism industries, and I have no doubt that many visitors from across the State will be enticed to stay on the South Coast and enjoy our many wonderful tourist attractions and eateries. Two $25 vouchers can be used for eating in at venues such as restaurants, cafes, clubs and other food service venues, with two more $25 vouchers for entertainment and recreation such as at cultural institutions, performing arts venues, cinemas and amusement parks. I encourage everyone in my electorate to take part in the community consultation now underway regarding possible changes to the State's stamp duty taxes. The proposed changes will give people the option to axe stamp duty—and land tax, if applicable—and pay an annual charge instead. Not only will this reform help young people buy their first home sooner; it will also create greater flexibility for people looking to move or downsize across their lifetimes. As mentioned earlier, South Coast residents have much to celebrate, with investments in transport, health, local facilities and education being delivered right across the electorate. Excitingly, the budget outlines $671.1 million over the next four years to continue planning and development of further upgrades to the Princes Highway between Nowra and the Victorian border. The Shoalhaven Hospital redevelopment will commence with a $4 million allocation in 2020-21, which is part of a $438 million commitment. This financial year $102.5 million will be invested to continue construction of the Berry to Bomaderry upgrade of the Princes Highway, and $5.8 million will allow for the continued planning for the Kiama to Bomaderry rail capacity increase. The budget also commits funds for planning for Jervis Bay Road to Sussex Inlet Road, Jervis Bay Road intersection and the Milton Ulladulla bypass; funds for the planning of a new school in South Nowra and Worrigee; and funding to finalise the planning for the relocation of the Budawang School in Milton. As part of a $3.6 million project, $1.7 million is being invested this financial year to deliver new and upgraded quality social and affordable housing for Aboriginal communities in Bomaderry, Oak Flats and Nowra. A $5.3 million commitment for the Shoalhaven Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure Package is well underway, with $4.5 million being invested locally this financial year, along with $600,000—as part of a $900,000 project— for the delivery of the Dunn Lewis multipurpose auditorium. I will always work hard for my community to advocate for the local infrastructure we need. In the coming days I look forward to announcing the final design for the Jervis Bay Road intersection with the Princes Highway, which will give locals and tourists alike a reason to celebrate. A lot has been done, but there is still so much more to do. I look forward to continuing to work for the South Coast, ensuring these projects and commitments are delivered on time and on budget. CANTERBURY MULTICULTURAL MENTAL HEALTH ROUNDTABLE Ms SOPHIE COTSIS (Canterbury) (19:08:19): COVID-19 has shown that mental health is one of the most concerning issues in New South Wales. The coronavirus pandemic has caused many people in our community to experience isolation, depression and anxiety. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare stated: There have been notable rises in the use of crisis lines and mental health services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, calls to Lifeline in the 4 weeks from 10 August to 6 September 2020 were up 15.3% compared with the same time in 2019. Contacts to Beyond Blue (total of call, web chat and email) were up 38.6% over the same period while contacts (total of call, web chat, email and circles sessions) to the Kids Helpline were up 24.5%. Many people in my electorate of Canterbury have contacted me about the mental health impacts of COVID-19. To discuss these issues, I recently held a Canterbury multicultural mental health roundtable, which was chaired by my hardworking colleague and shadow Minister for Mental Health, the Hon. , MLC. The roundtable forum was attended by a host of key multicultural organisations and groups that provide mental health services, as well as other stakeholders in our community. The discussion ranged from issues that are visible across all sections of society to issues that distinctly affect multicultural communities. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4937

The greatest challenge for organisations has been the lack of funding to provide vital mental health services in my community. Organisations such as the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, Metro Assist and Muslim Care indicated they need support to meet the demand for mental health services that they are experiencing. Tonight I call on the Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women and the Minister for Health and Medical Research—and I will send them my speech—to carefully consider the requests from those organisations. They are overwhelmed. They are dealing with a level of demand that they have never experienced and they have not had any funding. They are not funded, but they also have no additional funding. The Sydney Women's Counselling Centre, which is based in Campsie just down the road from my electorate, recently had to turn away more than 200 women in need of help. The centre simply does not have enough funding to employ enough caseworkers to meet demand—especially bilingual workers. The Chinese Australian Services Society reported a 50 per cent increase in elder abuse, with some elderly people being forced to move out of their homes. Again, more funding is needed to respond to this issue. The roundtable also highlighted the issue of taboo in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Mental health is a taboo subject that many cultures do not speak about. This has many implications, which can lead to severe cases and even suicide. While community leaders have begun to open the dialogue and address mental health among their communities, we are still far from resolving the issue in our multicultural population. That is why community organisations that carry out targeted outreach in diverse communities are so important, and it is why targeted funding is so important. The roundtable heard more funding is needed to employ bilingual workers. Again, I make that request to both the health Minister and the mental health Minister. The roundtable also heard that online services, which have been useful during COVID-19, are not a complete solution because older people may have difficulty using technology. Roundtable participants also called for the 20 mental health sessions now available through Medicare to be made permanent. I thank my colleague the Hon. Tara Moriarty for listening to the concerns of my community and taking on those issues. I also thank the organisations that took part in the mental health forum: the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, Settlement Services International, the Chinese Australian Services Society, the Greek Welfare Centre, the Lebanese Muslim Association, Muslim Care, the Sydney Women's Counselling Centre, Metro Assist, Barnardos Australia, psychologist Mina Candalepas, Kogarah Community Services and the City of Canterbury Bankstown. STATE BUDGET AND GRANVILLE ELECTORATE Ms JULIA FINN (Granville) (19:13:25): I speak about this week's budget and the impact it will have on the Granville electorate. This year we have seen a worldwide pandemic and the first recession in 30 years. The budget had been delayed for a few months to accommodate and respond to that. We needed to see a targeted economic recovery. Across Australia over one million people lost their jobs and in the suburb of Merrylands in my electorate the number of people out of work more than doubled between March and May. Merrylands became the suburb with the fourth highest level of people on JobSeeker benefits anywhere in New South Wales. Throughout the world, governments have talked about what we need to build back better. What we need to do here is provide more secure and skilled jobs and we need proper investment in that. We do not want to become a nation of Uber drivers, living pay cheque to pay cheque, who cannot afford to get sick. What we need is proper investment in jobs in New South Wales. We have not seen that to the extent we would like to. Similarly, locally some projects will happen in the Granville electorate, but they fall far short of what is needed. We are coming up to Christmas and it is very much like receiving a beautifully wrapped pair of socks: It is okay, they will be useful, but it is certainly not what we need or really wanted. We are getting some extensions to cycleways, which will be very useful. One will join the cycleway from under the M4 to the cycleway along the Duck River. It will run up to Clyde station, where the cyclists will have to climb the stairs at the station with their bikes and come down the other side to use the other cycleway. What we want is express trains. We have not had express trains since the Premier was the Minister for Transport, and she took them away from Granville station in 2013. Now the south line has all-stations trains. It might be faster to use the cycleway once it is extended than to catch the train in my electorate. The other thing my electorate needs most is a new school at Westmead. In this week's budget Westmead Public School has progressed from the planning stage to an assurance review. This is just another way of saying there is no funding and no site for another school at Westmead, even though Westmead Public School is well over capacity with more than 1,500 students. Until the end of last year it was the largest public primary school in the State. We will get a few new public housing homes, but we will still have a 10-year wait for public housing in the electorate. The $25 vouchers will be fantastic for people going out to dinner in the short term. But I have spoken to many restaurants that have been devastated over the past six months. Many of them were unable to apply for the small business grants. Even if they paid accountants to help them, they found out that they did not qualify for one reason or another. I know of one who did not qualify. In the previous year she had provided $30,000 worth Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4938

of catering during Ramadan. There were no Ramadan iftars this year, which meant that a big part of her annual income from the restaurant just was not there. We will still wait to have a Service NSW in Merrylands. There is no commitment on that. There is so much that we need that we are not getting. We are getting an upgrade to Wentworthville station car park. It will not be completed this year and is much smaller than what was promised by Labor. I am pleased that we are getting it because the local Liberal councillors tried to stop it by moving it to another suburb altogether. Thankfully, that is not happening. We need a lot more in my community and communities across the State. We need a vision and a commitment to the future—a future where we have safe and secure jobs once again and where we invest in skills instead of continually undermining TAFE and our public services and privatising everything. We are going to privatise the last remaining half of WestConnex and NSW Lotteries, at the bottom of the market, which is idiotic. We should not be making those decisions; we should be looking for opportunities for the future. BLACKTOWN AND MOUNT DRUITT HOSPITALS Mr KEVIN CONOLLY (Riverstone) (19:18:31): This year a massive upgrade and expansion of Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital was completed. Blacktown Hospital was opened in 1965 and the Mount Druitt Hospital in 1982. To modernise these decades-old facilities and to cope with the rapid growth of population in Sydney's north-west, both campuses of this joint hospital had been in need of development for years before the election of the Liberal-Nationals Government in 2011. Former member for Blacktown Paul Gibson repeatedly spoke in this place and elsewhere criticising the former Labor Government, of which he was a member, for its neglect of these facilities. Thankfully, the new health Minister, Jillian Skinner, and the cabinet of Barry O'Farrell recognised the need and in 2012 committed to a major upgrade program for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital. The first stage of the expansion included the construction of a new seven-storey clinical services building at Blacktown Hospital with a new centre for cancer and haematology; new women's health clinics; new pathology and pharmacy facilities; new inpatient units for cancer, aged care, stroke, rehabilitation, respiratory, cardiology and coronary care; and a new sub-acute mental health unit called the Melaleuca Unit. An extensive internal refurbishment of the existing hospital building was undertaken, along with site infrastructure upgrades, and road and public domain improvements. Since the official opening in April 2014, patients, visitors and staff have been using the new 400-space multistorey car park with lift access, and an easy one-way traffic flow through the car park, and a covered walkway. At Mount Druitt Hospital stage one delivered: expanded oral health facilities; expanded emergency department facilities, including a new urgent care centre and ambulance bay; aged care and rehabilitation ward expansion; a welcoming new main entry; and parking area upgrades. The buildings were officially opened in May 2016. With the completion of stage two Blacktown Hospital became a major metropolitan hospital serving the north-west Sydney region. This stage included the delivery of the following: a new emergency department with more beds; new psychiatric emergency care services; a new intensive care unit with more beds; eight new operating theatres with space for future expansion; new purpose-built wards for maternity, women's health and newborn care; new paediatric services with dedicated emergency department facilities, day stay and inpatient facilities; medical imaging, sterilising and non-clinical support services expansion; contemporary activity-based workspaces for support staff; and an expanded haemodialysis unit for hospital in-patients. In the second stage the Mount Druitt Hospital was redeveloped with a new community dialysis centre; a medical imaging unit; a recovery with peri-operative support refurbishment and an additional operating room; and a drug health expansion with consulting, counselling and support areas. In addition, existing pre-admission clinics have been relocated to a new purpose-built facility. Since the turn of the century Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital has been serving one of the fastest growing regional populations in New South Wales. With this rapid growth and diversification in the communities, the demand for health services continues to increase and the redevelopment was needed to meet this increase. Since June 2012 the staff employed by the Western Sydney Local Health District at Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital has increased by over 30 per cent. This reflects both the delivery of the Liberal-Nationals Government's promise to a major increase in statewide nursing numbers, as well as the growth of this particular service in a developing area of Sydney. The expansion of the hospitals has also provided opportunities to students so that they can gain practical experience and extend their knowledge within their chosen field. The Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital has developed a close working relationship with Western Sydney University to establish a clinical school located at Blacktown Hospital to foster the medical students to prosper so that they may acquire the knowledge and skills they need to work as fully accredited doctors and specialists. The building project has won 14 awards for design, consultation, arts and culture, and innovation, Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4939

including three International Academy for Design & Health, World Congress Academy awards for Best International Hospital Project under 40,000 square metres. A number of the additional facilities were co-opted into service earlier than anticipated as part of the health district's response to the COVID pandemic, ensuring that the hospital could play its part in the outstanding efforts of the health system to keep the people of New South Wales safe. The final completion of the upgrade and expansion project in August 2020 represents a major step forward for the region. In 2020 Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospital is a major metropolitan hospital with cutting edge facilities and more staff than ever before. It is well placed to serve the people of the region for years to come. I acknowledge the role of health Ministers Jillian Skinner and Brad Hazzard, Premiers O'Farrell, Baird and Berejiklian, and the Cabinet Ministers over those years who have collectively supported the high priority given by the Liberal-Nationals to providing new health infrastructure across New South Wales. I finish by saying that it would be worthy and appropriate if the member for Blacktown and the member for Mount Druitt could have said some of this on the record and acknowledged this massive transformative project in their region. It is a shame that they have not, but we have still delivered for the people of western Sydney. CENTRAL COAST MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (19:23:31): I speak about mental health and the care that is necessary on the Central Coast and some voids that need to be filled and addressed. I am glad the member for Terrigal is in the Chamber. There has been another suicide of a young person in the LGBTI community whose needs had not been met by wraparound care. While the Premier said that we need more funds for mental health in our communities, that has not been delivered in this year's budget. I support the Leader of the Opposition in calling for a royal commission into mental health so we can hear those people's stories and address the mental health needs across New South Wales. I thank the Federal member for Dobell, Emma McBride, the shadow Minister for mental health, who joined us and some of the great wraparound services provided by various community mental health providers on the Central Coast at a roundtable on mental health. I acknowledge Mr Anthony Critchley, who is the head of mental health on the Central Coast and who attended and listened to what a lot of these great services provide across the community. It spoke loud and clear that we do need collaborative community funding and consultation to wrap around people living with mental health issues, especially young people and people from diverse communities across the coast. I thank everyone involved in the Iris Foundation, which is a very generous philanthropic organisation that supports various needs across the coast and gives generous support for especially the nine to 14 years age bracket that is a very underserved market in health focus across our community. It is also underserved when we talk about the resistance of kids to engage with existing supports. I also acknowledge Bridie Tynam from Neami, who focuses on community supports and is passionate about collaborative recovery, not just clinical support. Louise Thompson from Lifeline identified that there was an inadequate supply of bulk-billing psychologists and psychiatrists on the coast, which many of the other organisations agreed with. I commend Waters Private Hospital, which is looking to identify that gap and setting up a youth mental health support for under-18s in our community, which will be great. Dr Ash Bowden, who is a legend on Instagram, champions the power of movement to support mental health. He is encouraging people to get active across the Central Coast because of the lack of available wraparound resources. I also acknowledge Kim McLoughry from Regional Youth Support Services [RYSS], who has been working on the coast for years to wrap around young people and their needs, especially their mental health needs. One hundred and seven young people who presented to RYSS in the first three months of COVID have experienced homelessness. It is an indication that alongside mental health support we need homelessness support. I send a massive shout-out to Kieran Booth, the CEO of the Central Coast Community Council, who has a great understanding of mental health issues and should be consulted every step of the way in relation to community supports. Central Coast Primary Care does an amazing job. It has seen a 25 per cent increase in the number of infants to 12-year-olds in need of clinical supports over the past three months. There is a desperate need for mental health support in our community. I congratulate Bruce Davis from Coast Community Connections, which has identified and restructured its funding to get two youth counsellors in our community. Alfredo Zotti is an amazing person who lives with his own mental health challenges and has now started a research project supporting music and mental health. I acknowledge Lester Pearson from Save Our Kids from Suicide, which is another philanthropic organisation, wrapping around and supporting our young people. The Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill provides wraparound care but has just had its funding ripped out from under it. I cannot emphasise enough that the young people in our community need additional funding from the State Government to support Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4940

their mental health needs. All participants at the roundtable, aside from those representing the Central Coast Local Health District, agreed that greater funding needs to be provided for local organisations who work in non-clinical capacities, and for early intervention and prevention. The importance of supporting individuals through strengthening their families and community networks was also stressed. Greater collaboration and coordination between organisations is essential for improvement across the sector. This is about saving the lives of young people under threat of suicide. When the local public high schools have got eight people who are not calling out for help who are at suicide risk, we need additional help from our community. I support the Opposition leader's call for mental health support and a royal commission. Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (19:28:41): I thank the member for Gosford for her private member's statement. I want to acknowledge some of the people she spoke about, people like Kim McLoughry at RYSS. I am really pleased that this Government has given multiple grants to Kim and her organisation to support young people, which includes the new facility they are moving into very shortly because they were booted out by council from their current site. It is because of this Government's funding to organisations like RYSS that they are able to move into brand-new sites. I am also really proud that I was able to join with Minister Bronnie Taylor, the mental health Minister, and with the police, mental health service providers and Dr Anthony Critchley, as the member for Gosford mentioned. The Central Coast is the very first region that has rolled out the Police, Ambulance, Clinical, Early, Response [PACER] project. This was a collaboration between the Central Coast Mental Health Unit and our Brisbane Waters and Tuggerah Lakes police districts because we know that PACER makes a huge difference in early intervention into mental health incidents with people and place, and we have seen the number of people being admitted to hospital drop by half through the PACER initiative being delivered on the Central Coast. ORANGE ELECTORATE Mr PHILIP DONATO (Orange) (19:29:51): This week marks the fourth anniversary of my election to represent the good people of the Orange electorate in this place. Prior to my election, Orange had been a safe Nationals seat since 1947, and in that time came complacency and, ultimately, neglect. The seat of Orange, made extremely marginal with a slim victory of just 55 votes at the 2016 by-election, attracted significant government investment, the scale of which has not been seen whilst represented by a Nationals member. As a candidate for the seat of Orange, I campaigned to restore political representation to the community, to give my electorate a voice here in Parliament, and to fight for what the people of the Orange electorate expect and deserve. Politically fear-induced pork barrelling from a government desperate to retain Nationals' reign over the seat of Orange produced $380 million in election promises. Since being elected, I have held this Government to account and, in spite of its reluctance and delays, I have forced it to deliver—albeit through public shaming at times. In 2016 flooding of the Newell Highway isolated the township of Forbes, and businesses nearly drowned financially as a result. I have campaigned, and since lobbied this Government, to flood-proof the Newell to protect Forbes and other communities along the highway from future flooding that will inevitably occur. I am pleased that my efforts have caused the Government to invest tens of millions of dollars in this preventative and protective measure. The Cricket Centre of Excellence is a unique sporting facility which I campaigned for to serve Orange and the broader region in the sporting development of our many talented locals. I am pleased that my efforts resulted in the bricks and mortar, which are drying as I speak. I look forward to the official opening, which is imminent. I look forward to joining the acting sport Minister for the opening, at the crease, and I invite him to deliver once more, this time with a ball in hand, as I face him in the nets to christen the $3.4 million state-of-the-art facility. Orange is now known as a regional medical hub, yet limited parking at the Orange Health Service failed to complement the service it provided. I campaigned for the extension of the car park, which eventuated in $1.3 million of investment in an additional 151 much-needed car spaces. When the Deputy Premier was still denying the existence of drought, I was lobbying for drought assistance measures for the farmers of the Orange electorate, including freight subsidies. Again, it took embarrassing The Nationals for them to wake up, but the Government eventually responded by delivering $290 million in freight subsidies to farmers across drought-affected New South Wales. When the then roads Minister, Melinda Pavey, knowingly sat on a confidential document which identified that our then drought-affected farmers had been overcharged $32 million in primary producer concessional registration fees, I took her to task. Exposing this morally questionable inaction, at a time when many of our farmers were struggling to buy fodder to keep stock alive, or to even put food on their own tables, resulted in this Government refunding farmers and further compensating them with a package that included five years' free primary production vehicle registration. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4941

On behalf of local farmers whose farms fell in a radar blackspot, I lobbied for the installation of Doppler weather radars to enable farmers to effectively farm with the use of accurate weather information. My lobbying resulted in the Government announcing its investment of tens of millions in Doppler radars, one of which will now be installed in the Orange electorate. Inaction of this Government to assist farmers of the Orange electorate, and broader country New South Wales, prompted me to lobby this Government for the cessation of local land services rates. The result was the Government implementing the cessation of rates—a saving of $100 million for farmers across New South Wales. After arm-wrestling three-quarters of a billion dollars of investment in less than three years, the general election of 2019 loomed. The Premier swooped in on a fly-in, fly-out visit to Orange, announcing that she would fund a new sports stadium, for which I had already been lobbying her Government. Her proviso was that it would be funded if the people of Orange voted for the Nationals' candidate. I will not bore the House with the details, but, in spite of the attempted vote bribe, I was elected, with nearly 50 per cent of the primary vote, and now the Premier has commenced paying the $25 million bill for the stadium, with groundwork about to begin. The list goes on, but it is proof that a marginal electorate being represented by someone who will roll up their sleeves and go into bat for their community is what actually delivers the dollars and, more importantly, the voice of the community. COFFS HARBOUR ELECTORATE Mr GURMESH SINGH (Coffs Harbour) (19:34:27): Around this time last year I received an unfortunate phone call telling me that I needed to return home because the bushfire crisis in Coffs Harbour was heating up, so to speak. I remember flying home with a feeling of apprehension and seeing nothing but smoke out the window of the plane. Landing at the Coffs Harbour airport and not being able to see the sky or very far in front of me was a scary time. These were very hot and windy days, which are terrible conditions for fires. We had a very nervous few days. We lost nearly 17 homes in the Coffs Harbour electorate, and many more homes in our neighbouring electorates of Clarence and Oxley. This was obviously a very emotional time for many people. One year on, Woolgoolga Rural Fire Service captain Jeff Luke described that day on local radio. He described how they were not certain that they were going to make it out of those fires. Listening to that one year on certainly brought back a lot of memories for a lot of people. Later in the year there were many more bushfires in the Sydney area and especially on the South Coast, which seemed to get more and more severe as the year went on. It was obviously a very tragic time in New South Wales. There was a lot of loss of homes and property, especially down the South Coast. When we moved into January it was still relatively smoky but somewhat calmer than the previous few months had been. In the middle of February, one of the areas that was hit by the fires was also hit by severe flash flooding. Overnight the area received hundreds of millimetres of rain. People who had been severely affected by the fires were then severely affected by a flood in very short succession. After that flood we had the biggest event of the last decade, the COVID-19 pandemic. We were lucky to have a relatively short lockdown period. During that time I recall thinking that life had slowed down for a lot of people. There was no traffic on the roads. People walked with their families or rode bikes and generally changed the way they lived their lives for a short period. People were pretty scared at the time, as it was quite unknown, but they were also very kind to each other. We moved quickly onto Anzac Day, which is coincidentally my birthday. Unlike other years, there were no marches or dawn services. Instead, people commemorated on their driveways. Unfortunately, this year I had to spend Anzac Day in isolation because the day before I had my very first COVID test. I spent the day locked in my office alone in the dark, hoping not to infect anyone else in the family. It was not a great way to spend a birthday. Over the past few months businesses have been struggling but slowly life is returning to normal. I was flying home from Parliament last week on a wonderful spring mid-afternoon and looking out the window as the plane was coming to land in Coffs Harbour. I could not help but smile at the very green valleys this year. It really symbolises the hope we have for 2021. I remember feeling that I was very thankful to be home last week after having seen that amazing view out of my window. Coffs Harbour is a region with so much potential. I hope we can fulfil some of the potential while I am serving as the local member. It has been a great honour to serve the people of Coffs Harbour during this difficult year. It has been a very challenging 12 months, but the New South Wales Government has handled this crisis very well. I would like to thank the Premier, the Deputy Premier and the Treasurer for their leadership during this, let us hope, once-in-a-generation 12-month period. I thank my colleagues and friends for a robust parliamentary year. I thank the parliamentary staff who do a wonderful job. I thank my electorate office staff, Diane, Craig, Katie and Cherrill, who go out of their way to help the people of Coffs Harbour. I hope the upcoming holidays are a time for reflection. I hope that everyone is taking a relaxing break if they can afford to do so. Merry Christmas. I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4942

GREEN SQUARE Mr RON HOENIG (Heffron) (19:39:13): Five years ago I warned of the planning failure in Green Square, Australia's largest urban renewal project, and called for a moratorium on population expansion until infrastructure, particularly transport infrastructure, could catch up. The 2016 census revealed that Green Square, including the suburbs of Waterloo, Zetland, Rosebery and Beaconsfield, had a population of about 38,000 in just 3.5 square kilometres. In the next decade a further 28,000 people, taking the total to 61,000 people, is planned for Green Square. That makes its population density far greater than any part of Manhattan or London. This is without the New South Wales Government's efforts to try to kick out 3,000 public housing tenants from Waterloo and handing that land over to private developers, which would increase the density even more. I note that recently the housing Minister was complaining about the Lord Mayor of Sydney and the City of Sydney and the exercise of their planning function for that area. I place on record that I congratulate the Lord Mayor and council on the manner in which they are handling the planning process of Waterloo. It is quite exceptional. I note the Minister has conveyed to the president of Local Government NSW and now president of the Australian Local Government Association, Councillor Linda Scott, that the Government is considering walking away from Waterloo because of the council. I say, good, walk away Minister. Give some security of tenure to my 3,000 public housing tenants. That land should remain in the possession of the public and should remain for much-needed public housing. In a report recently released by SGS Economics and Planning, it was forecast that Greater Sydney's population would rise by a mere 500 people to 5.37 million in the 12 months to next June. That compares to the consultancy prediction prior to the pandemic for the population to surge by more than 92,000 to 5.49 million during the same period. That has prompted a statement from the planning Minister. I agree with his statement and wish to congratulate him on taking the position he has, which is probably a change from my last half a dozen private members' statements. I have not missed him in respect of some planning decisions. Mr Stokes observed that there would be more pressure to decentralise from Sydney's main CBD to smaller centres across the city, noting that Sydney already had an advantage over in that Melbourne has only one centre. He has requested the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment look at zonings and employment lands to consider making them more flexible and observed that with a flatlining population he expects demand for apartments to be patchy but an increase in demand for houses, citing people's desire for more space. I welcome the observations of the planning Minister because the Green Square madness with that sort of population expansion occurring so rapidly without appropriate infrastructure has been built upon a bubble that has now been exposed by the population forecast as a folly. All those high-density residential areas have replaced employment-generating developments that had been located there. Areas of Green Square were the heart of employment for Sydney. Those employment lands have been ripped out in order for developers to propose greater population expansion and greater population density. That now has been shown to be a folly. It is important that Mr Stokes and the Government proceed down the path and the direction he is mapping out. STATE BUDGET AND LONDONDERRY ELECTORATE Ms (Londonderry) (19:44:17): I make some observations on the recent Liberal State budget in New South Wales and its impact on the communities that I represent in north-west and western Sydney. For those in our communities it is simply a budget of broken promises. It leads us to believe that the Liberal Government, in order to win an election, says one thing in the outer suburbs of Sydney but is nowhere to be seen on the delivery of those promises. Let us go through some of that failed record. The first is the issue of a high school in the community of Jordan Springs. I have spoken about that community many times in this Parliament and the delivery of a public school that we had to fight tooth and nail to get. When it finally opened this year after so many years of fighting, the school had 325 enrolments in a matter of months. The Government says that there are 573 predicted enrolments next year and enrolments are predicted to keep growing to upwards of 1,000 primary students. The Liberal Government then went on to approve another 500 homes in Jordan Springs East, but what is it missing? There is absolutely no commitment to a high school in that suburb. I do not know what the Government thinks is going to happen once the children pass year 6. They need to go to a high school, but the budget provides absolutely nothing for a high school in Jordan Springs. There is no site, no funding and no school. The Government's response to the problem in Jordan Springs and the pressure on families is four classrooms at Cranebrook High School. Marsden Park is one of the fastest growing suburbs in New South Wales. By 2036 it will have a population upwards of 30,000. The Government announced a high school on the eve of the election, but one and a half years later the school is not funded and no construction has begun. The high school site is ready to go, but families are waiting for funding and for an answer from the Government about when a high school will be delivered for those Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4943

growing communities. Families buy into those communities based on those promises. I am not sure if the Government understands the sort of investment that people make into their family homes on the promise of the building of infrastructure, but the school was not funded when the Treasurer announced the State budget. Two years on from the commitment for a 700-space commuter car park at Schofields station, there is radio silence from the Government. It said before the election that the car park would be completed by 2020. In fact, Kevin Conolly's media release stated: … the multi storey car park will be delivered by the end of 2020. It is already November 2020 and, last time I checked, work has not even started. That station should be servicing the entirety of the growth area around Marsden Park, which is land that the Government keeps releasing. But the Government is nowhere to be seen on the delivery of this multistorey car park. In fact, residents are often telling me that the only car park the Liberals have built is Richmond Road in peak hour. The hospital at Rouse Hill was promised before the 2015 election. It was promised again at the 2019 election. Two budgets on, there is no money—and we wonder why there is so much pressure at Blacktown. Earlier this year, regarding the Liberals' failures on infrastructure in north-west Sydney, Gladys Berejiklian said: The residents of the North West should have nothing to worry about … Seriously? They should have nothing to worry about with schools, which more than ever before are overcrowded, and the Marsden Park high school site sits empty? They should have nothing to worry about with hospitals, when after six years of Liberal promises the Rouse Hill hospital is still not built? They should have nothing to worry about with roads? Try Richmond Road in peak hour! They should have nothing to worry about with rail. Try getting a car park at Schofields! It is easy for the Premier, who lives 10 minutes from work and the CBD, but hardworking families have to make the morning commute. The budget fails those families. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Ms GABRIELLE UPTON (Vaucluse) (19:49:26): We are living in a time of increasing economic disruption. Natural disasters and the COVID-19 global pandemic are forcing governments and businesses to adapt at an unprecedented rate. Jobs and industries are being transformed by new technology and the future of New South Wales depends on us having an innovative economy. The New South Wales Government has a big role to play in fostering an innovative economy. We are already the nation's leader in "hard" infrastructure investment. We must match that with an equally ambitious plan to make New South Wales the nation's leader in "soft" infrastructure: research and development [R&D]. R&D creates the ideas that turn into new industries, jobs, products and services. With that in mind, in October 2019 the Premier asked me to drive a strategy that would make New South Wales the R&D leader in Australia and a world-class contributor. Accelerating R&D in New South Wales by turning more ideas into jobs, industries, products and services will drive our economy and support the New South Wales COVID-19 Recovery Plan. New South Wales has considerable research strengths, such as advanced manufacturing, quantum computing and photonics, robotics, aerospace and defence. We have more startups and global top 100 universities than any jurisdiction. But we have not taken full advantage of those strengths and have punched below our weight at translating research into new, commercially viable technologies and products. Added to that is the fact that New South Wales has achieved a world-beating outcome in balancing the health and economic impacts of COVID. More than ever, we have a unique opportunity to show that we are open for business and support the next wave of advanced industries in New South Wales, building on that COVID experience. To guide the task that the Premier put to me, I appointed an advisory committee of eminent leaders in innovation, business, government and the tertiary sector, chaired by David Gonski, AC. We committed to delivering an action plan to the Premier in 2020 to make New South Wales the R&D leader in Australia and a world-class contributor. The New South Wales Government has a key role to play in fostering R&D commercialisation through its funding, policies and programs within the broader ecosystem, which spans universities, startups, industry, research institutes and scale-ups. Through our work we focused on four levers that the New South Wales Government can use to accelerate R&D. The first is Government action, or how we can use our role as a participant in the R&D ecosystem through expenditure, procurement and priorities. The second is attraction, or how we attract and retain the best talent and investment to New South Wales and grow our R&D ecosystem. The third is collaboration, or how we bring stakeholders together to leverage their respective strengths and how we can make them share hard and soft infrastructure, including through our innovation precincts. The fourth is translation, or how we use our startups to scale up and commercialise research. We held a six-week public consultation from 28 October to 13 December Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4944

2019. About 100 submissions were lodged and we conducted over 70 targeted consultations and forums with stakeholders. I take this opportunity to thank the advisory council members: Maxine Brenner; Jillian Broadbent, AC; Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, our chief scientist; Professor Barney Glover, AO; Professor Brigid Heywood; Catherine Livingstone, AO; Philip Marcus Clark, AO; Professor Mary O'Kane, AC; Daniel Petre, AO; Professor Michelle Simmons, AO; David Thodey, AO; Jennifer Westacott, AO; Dr Larry Marshall; David Shein; Professor Paul Wellings, CBE; and Neville Stevens, AO. They generously brought their insights, experience and wisdom to the task. I also thank my team from the Department of Premier and Cabinet: Amy Brown, Ben Gales, Josie Khalil, Daniel Van Dyk and Dominic Nguyen. They are an example of public sector excellence in bringing not only their skills and knowledge to the initiative but also their passion. Following on from a year of work, we recently submitted our action plan to the Premier for her consideration. We believe that by implementing the proposals in the action plan New South Wales will be able to realise the enormous job- and industry-creating potential of R&D. I look forward to that being the case. I commend my private member's statement to the House. WINGECARRIBEE SHIRE COUNCIL DESTINATION STRATEGY Mr NATHANIEL SMITH (Wollondilly) (19:54:00): I express my disappointment at the adoption of the destination strategy by Wingecarribee Shire Council last week, with the casting vote of Mayor Duncan Gair. The strategy is not supported by industry, me or the community. The approach taken by the council is heavily discredited. In September the wonderful member for Goulburn and I welcomed Minister Hancock's decision to impose a Performance Improvement Order, also known as an PIO. As a former long-term councillor at Botany council, who controlled that place for a long time, the member for Heffron would know PIOs well. The member for Goulburn and I shared the view that the council leadership was dysfunctional and that ratepayers deserved better. At the time we hoped that the PIO would drive better working relationships, decision-making and outcomes for the Wingecarribee community in the Southern Highlands. I know that members on the other side of the House will come down to visit me shortly. Frankly, the conduct that I witnessed last week of some councillors has left me with little confidence that the PIO has had the desired effect. Ms Anna Watson: Your shout? Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: Yes, I might buy you a beer at The Royal. The member knows that key stakeholders addressing the council via Zoom were disconnected mid-sentence and, according to the Southern Highlands Express, cries from some councillors that meeting procedures were not being followed were denounced with the response, "I am the mayor!" The member for Heffron probably used that phrase from time to time when he was the mayor of Botany. Mr Ron Hoenig: You've got to be humble. Mr NATHANIEL SMITH: The mayor of Wingecarribee Shire Council was not. It is not the behaviour that I expect of a council when it is considering an important economic statement of its vision and intent. Prior to adoption such statements should be the subject of extensive stakeholder consultation and should be supported overwhelmingly by councillors, industry and ratepayers. For four years the council has not had an economic development strategy. The last one expired in 2016, which is absolutely disgraceful. The disruption and the impact of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 has meant that a document that could drive economic recovery and sustainable economic growth is needed now more than ever. However, it is apparent that the adopted document is not capable of driving the significant and necessary outcomes because it contains insufficient detail. It has been described as more of a discussion paper. According to Mark Bourne, the lead facilitator at the magnificent Southern Highlands Key Stakeholder Group, "The general feeling within many industry sectors was that it lacked genuine stakeholder collaboration and was more of a tick-the-box process." Surrounding councils have publicly available economic development strategies that contain tangible and specific actions. I refer to councils in Kiama, Shellharbour, Wollongong and to the other council in my electorate of Wollondilly. The documents adopted by those councils set targets in areas such as job-creation numbers and attempt to link priorities with real actions. That makes a council accountable for the success or failure of its adopted plan. I do not blame the consultants whom the council engaged to produce the current document. A consultant can only be as good as the brief and direction that they receive from their client. The same consultant, Lucid Economics, also authored the 2020 Wollondilly Economic Development Strategy, which, by contrast, is regarded by industry as a highly competent document. The Wollondilly strategy document contains priority action areas, each of which is supported by detailed and specific strategic initiatives. It contains a detailed vision and goal. Catalyst infrastructure projects are identified as either short- or long-term projects. I urge Wingecarribee Shire Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4945

Council to collaborate with industry to create a new, fit-for-purpose strategic document that contains accountable goals and detailed actions, as the industry is recommending. TRIBUTE TO BILLIE KINDER Ms (Hawkesbury) (19:59:23): I pay tribute to the life of Billie Kinder, who tragically passed away in 2016 at the age of 12. I commend her mother Danny, father Dave and sister Charlie for their work in running the not-for-profit charitable institution Flyhighbillie. Sadly, on 29 May 2016 in Pitt Town Billie was involved in a horse accident. She had achieved amazing things in her life. Billie and her pony Diesel won the New South Wales State interschool primary show jumping championship in 2015. She also became the New South Wales State interschool primary champion rider. Being the best in New South Wales is achieved by few people in life. It requires great qualities and amazing talent to achieve such an outcome. Billie also excelled academically. Her amazing writing ability was recognised with a high school academic scholarship to Arndell Anglican College. I never had the pleasure of meeting Billie. She touched the lives of all she met and her legacy has touched the lives of those who did not have the pleasure of meeting her, including mine. She is described as having had an unconditional love for life and everything that it has to offer. She had a beautiful, caring soul and amazing gifts of kindness, compassion, empathy and insight. Billie had belief and hope for the world, always giving to others rather than keeping things for herself. Billie is no longer with us but her legacy lives on through the charity Flyhighbillie that her parents and sister run in her honour. The not-for-profit charity supports and assists children and young people who are affected by bullying, mental health issues and suicide. It also supports those who are in palliative care and suffering debilitating illnesses, including medical distress, disability, mental health issues and grief. The Flyhighbillie charity is very active in serving its important purpose. It runs and promotes many initiatives, such as the "b kinder" initiative that seeks to utilise positive, unique, interactive and tangible resources such as workbooks to reduce mental health, bullying and suicide statistics. The charity also created an annual day called the "b kinder day", which occurs on 22 June each year to encourage kindness, thoughtfulness and empathy. The charity encourages and assists schools and everyone else to participate. The day's main activity is to purchase one of Billie's "b kinder" cards and to write a lovely message to someone one cares about. Over 8,500 "b kinder" cards were sent around the world in 2019. The charity has many reputable ambassadors and supporters who assist the charity in their great cause. Our world is a better place due to the contribution Billie made during her 12 brief years of life and the legacy she provided to the world. I thank and commend Danny, Dave, Charlie and all the wonderful people who are involved in the charity and its wonderful initiatives. I wish them all the very best for the future. Community Recognition Statements JOHNS RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOL Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie) (20:03:06): I recognise Johns River Public School, which recently celebrated its 150th birthday, having opened on 4 November 1870. Public schools are the heart of small regional communities and Johns River Public School is no different. The school has had a huge impact and has been an instrumental part of the local community and of the lives of the students for 150 years. Current students Ellie O'Neile, Elkie McKay, Shelby Horvat, Phoenix Vanderpoll-Jones, Nathan Gardner, Indi Horvat, Jakob Cini-Powell, Kaiidin Green and Indigo Vanderpoll, together with teaching principal Murray McGrath and staff Josh Tomasone, Chloe Fullford, Jade Culbert, Ruth Macnamara, Amanda Murray, Marianne Reeves, Laurie Gough and Peter Miller, are all part of the rich history of this proud institution. The COVID-19 pandemic has put birthday celebrations on hold, which has been very disappointing for everyone involved. I look forward to joining in the celebrations with the school community at a later date. I wish Johns River Public School a happy 150th birthday. I congratulate the school on reaching that outstanding milestone. TRISTIN CONDON Mr GURMESH SINGH (Coffs Harbour) (20:04:18): Coffs Harbour's Tristin Condon was never meant to walk or talk but now he is a three-time Australian champion. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Tristin has spent his life defying the odds—and medical experts, for that matter. The 40-year-old, who is studying a graduate diploma of legal practice at Bond University, claimed national indoor rowing titles across the 500 metres, one kilometre and two kilometre events. It was a virtual competition and Tristin rowed at his Coffs Harbour apartment, which he shares with his wife and number one supporter, Balinda Condon. His times are in the world's top three, which is even more remarkable considering he broke ribs and slipped a disc in his back earlier this year after a couple of falls. His next competition is the Oceania championships on 5 December—a qualifier for the world titles. Rowing has become a way for Tristin to inspire and find freedom, while also continuing to prove Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4946

doubters wrong. I congratulate Tristin and Balinda on what they doing and what they are achieving in our community. REMEMBRANCE DAY Mr ALISTER HENSKENS (Ku-ring-gai) (20:05:15): Since the end of World War I Australians have paused to reflect and pay tribute to our service men and women on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. With this year's Anzac Day commemorations cancelled due to the pandemic, it was particularly meaningful for the veteran community to see Remembrance Day gatherings take place last week due to the one-off exemption on outdoor gatherings. I was able to attend the Remembrance Day Service at the Roseville Memorial Club, along with the member for Davidson, the Hon. Jonathan O'Dea. Although the service was much smaller this year, it was wonderful to see our community come together to commend the memory of our fallen. I acknowledge the Roseville Memorial Club and thank President John Whitworth for hosting the ceremony. I pay a special mention to Lieutenant Colonel Ken Broadhead, Major Mike Askey and World War II Royal Australian Air Force veteran Tony Adams, who were present. Their stories can never be forgotten. Lest We Forget. MUSIC SAVED ME PODCAST Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (20:06:15): I congratulate the team behind the brilliant new podcast Musicians Making a Difference, Music Saved Me. With the challenges of 2020, it is more important than ever to have open and honest conversations about mental health and how it can impact everyone in our community. The podcast, brought to us by an amazing Gosford-based team, tackles the importance of music for mental health. It highlights how mental health struggles can affect anyone, with musicians talking about their experiences with culture, language, homelessness, grief, loss and sexuality. The podcast is just one of many examples of the Central Coast community coming together during hard times and working together to support the most vulnerable in our community. As our young people in Year 12 finish their HSC and graduate into the world, open and honest conversations about wellbeing are more important than ever. I congratulate the Musicians Making a Difference team on continuing to open up the conversation about mental health in our community. JANNALI PUBLIC SCHOOL Ms ELENI PETINOS (Miranda) (20:07:16): I acknowledge the wonderful community at Jannali Public School. Having celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary just last year, Jannali Public School is committed to academic excellence and inspiring lifelong learners. Led by principal Karen Andrews, the school and its dedicated staff provide comprehensive extracurricular programs and regularly hold events such as a recent Maths Day, League Tag Gala Day and Mini Olympics. Jannali Public School is fortunate to have a strong community contributing to its students' education. Earlier this month I visited the school to see its recently completed electronic noticeboard project, funded by a New South Wales Government grant and facilitating the promotion of school events to parents, students and the wider community. I commend the members of the P&C association behind projects such as this, including president Julie Robinson, vice-presidents Holly Smith and Janelle Argue, secretary Cathryn Walker and treasurer Kaylene Pring. I also recognise the wonderful students I met on my visit, including Lucy and Piper Smith, Christopher and Samantha Litton, Hugo Cullen, Eva King and William Bailey. I extend my best wishes to the Jannali Public School community. MEL KING Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) (20:08:27): I congratulate the successful applicant Mel King from the children's charity, We Care Connect, on being nominated for the 2020 Westfield Local Heroes. Three local leaders were nominated and voted for by their community. They will be awarded a $10,000 grant each for the affiliated organisations to continue their work. Mel is a volunteer who spends 20 hours a week putting together packages of clothing, linen and baby items for caseworkers who help disadvantaged local children. Mel became a childhood educator, which was a career she loved before she was forced to retire. Now she is able to bring her professional background to working with caseworkers from the charity. Mel's cheerfulness and dedication is something to admire and she continuously works outside charity hours to collect and distribute donated items. She always tries to include special items to meet children's individual needs. It is warming to know that people like Mel go the extra mile for children and families in need in the community. I congratulate Mel King on her nomination for supporting and volunteering in the community. Mel is genuine, resilient and respected. LOUISE HARDMAN Mr GURMESH SINGH (Coffs Harbour) (20:09:30): Scientist, innovator and waste-free plastics educator Louise Hardman is the toast of the Coffs Coast. Louise flew the flag for our region as a Local Hero Nominee in the 2021 NSW Australian of the Year Awards. Some 28 years ago, leading a marine turtle-tagging and research program, Louise discovered a small green turtle dying a slow, painful death from eating plastics. The turtle did not survive, but it inspired Louise to tackle plastic waste. She founded Plastic Collective, a social Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4947

enterprise to stop plastics entering the oceans. Louise is an expert in grassroots community engagement, the chemistry of plastics and the circular economy. She invented the Shruder, a mobile recycling machine that shreds and extrudes plastic on site, and is now developing the Shruder Recycling Station for regional communities. Thanks to Louise and her team, communities are transforming plastic waste into products for local needs and generating revenue through selling processed plastic shred. I congratulate Louise on her outstanding endeavours. VINCE GAUCI Mr ROY BUTLER (Barwon) (20:10:30): I recognise Mr Vince Gauci, who was born and bred in Broken Hill. He built an outstanding career in the mining industry, culminating in his role as managing director of MIM Ltd. On his retirement in 2000, Vince donated his time to an organisation committed to helping Broken Hill have an economic life after mining. The organisation is known as Foundation Broken Hill. Under Vince's chairmanship, the foundation has contributed over a million dollars to the local community and has supported dozens of start-up businesses. Vince was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003, a Legend in Mining award in 2008 and Broken Hill's Citizen of the Year in 2015. This week, after 20 years as chairman, Vince handed the baton to another successful Broken Hillman, Mr John Lynch. I thank Vince for his passion and enthusiasm to see Broken Hill and its surrounding regions prosper. WORLD PANCREATIC CANCER DAY Ms GABRIELLE UPTON (Vaucluse) (20:11:33): I am wearing a purple ribbon today in support of World Pancreatic Cancer Day and Purple Our World, a charity founded in 2014 by local resident Daniel Goulburn, OAM, and his family to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is now the third highest cause of cancer deaths in Australia. Sadly, there is also no early detection test or screening program and the average survival period of patients after diagnosis is only six months. Today I caught up with one of my local residents Lucinda Watson in Parliament. We shared a purple cupcake she had baked to raise awareness for Purple Our World. I thank Lucinda for her efforts, and Daniel and his family, especially his daughter, Jessica, for their strong advocacy on such an important issue. TRIBUTE TO JOE VIZZONE Mr RON HOENIG (Heffron) (20:12:41): It is with sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Mr Joe Vizzone, founding partner at Vizzone Ruggero Twigg Lawyers and a giant of the south Sydney community. Joe passed away on Sunday 1 November at the age of 64. His service to our community was not just limited to his legal services; he played two seasons for the Rabbitohs and retained a lifelong connection to rugby league, serving as a director of South Sydney Juniors and a number of their affiliate organisations. He was awarded life membership of the South Sydney District Junior Rugby League, the Juniors Group of Clubs, and his beloved Mascot Jets. He had nearly 50 years of association with the Mascot Juniors, including 20 years of volunteering, administration and sponsorship, and a term as president. Joe was a sponsor of the Botany Rams, Mascot Netball Club, and my old high school, JJ Cahill Memorial High School. The success of those organisations over many years is due in no small part to Joe's generosity, passion and dedication. He was a great mate and a long-term supporter of mine. He will be greatly missed. I pay my condolences to his family and friends. Vale, Joe Vizzone. REMEMBRANCE DAY Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (20:13): I acknowledge the Remembrance Day services on the Central Coast. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month Australia stopped and paused for a moment of silence to mark 75 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War II, and 102 years since the end of World War I. The residents of Copacabana came together to mark this moment in a COVID-safe way. Local Vietnam veteran Roque Ammal organised the Remembrance Day Service, emphasising how important it is to keep the light burning, remembering how different our lives are now because of those who sacrificed for us over 100 years ago. Part of the service included 3D dioramas of aircraft, ship and tank models, put together by 16 Copacabana children. Also on display were photos, medals and other memorabilia of fallen family members from throughout the community. Wreaths were laid and thousands of ex-service men and women were remembered for the remarkable sacrifice they have made for society today. Although I was unfortunately unable to attend, I know it was a moving service for all. Lest we forget. SAVE OUR SANDS Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (20:14:52): I recognise and commend the advocacy of the Wamberal locals who have formed the group Save our Sands. It is essential that in conversations regarding the long-term future of Wamberal Beach, and beaches all up our New South Wales coast, that both the environment and the broader community are involved and considered. Our beaches are some of our most precious and unique ecological resources, and ensuring that they are healthy and sustained for future generations is an enormous task. With the increasing impacts of climate change, it is also an incredibly challenging one. I thank Save our Sands Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4948

for providing a space for environmental and community voices to be heard. It seems that the Wamberal task force has yet to conduct the broad consultation as promised, and this important local community group is yet to be consulted or provided with the terms of reference. Once again, I thank all involved in Save Our Sands for their passion to protect our great Central Coast. RIVERWOOD HORNETS Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:15:49): I recently had the pleasure of attending a fantastic afternoon organised by the Hurstville Rotary Club in support of the Riverwood Hornets. The Riverwood Hornets work in cooperation with the Australian Air League, which encourages an interest in aviation. The Hornets are particularly renowned for their marching band, who gave an excellent performance on the day and who also attended the seventy-eighth anniversary Pearl Harbor memorial parade in 2019. This is a fantastic organisation and it was great to donate towards these members obtaining their Duke of Edinburgh awards. I am also pleased to note that a number of the Riverwood Hornets have also been recognised at the St George Community Awards. Recipients include: Andrew Vu, Jason Zhou, Joshua Nguyen, Kong Li, Lee Wood, Raymond Thi, Steven Tran, Thanh Tran, Timothy Dinh and Zayyan Mahmood. I thank Jan Gartrell and Marion Smith as well as Geoff and Linda Pritchard for helping organising the afternoon and I thank everyone who donated towards this fantastic cause. COBAR ROTARY CLUB Mr ROY BUTLER (Barwon) (20:16:50): The Cobar Rotary Club was presented with the Orana Volunteers Team of the Year award for its work in assisting drought-affected families in the district. The Cobar Rotary Club has been helping our local communities for the past 54 years. The contribution and tireless efforts of these amazing volunteers has been truly inspiring. With only eight volunteers, the Cobar Rotary Club was able to provide truckloads of much-needed fodder, grocery packs and fuel to many remote families during the recent devastating drought. The volunteers were also exceptional in supporting families and local businesses with much-needed emotional health support. The amazing support provided by the local businesses has been paramount during the recent drought and COVID-19 pandemic. I highly commend this tireless band of volunteers for their achievement and wish them all the best for their future success. THELMA FLORENCE TAYLOR Ms ROBYN PRESTON (Hawkesbury) (20:17:42): I wish a very happy birthday to Thelma Florence Taylor, who turns 102 years young this month. Thelma was born on 27 November 1918. Our community is fortunate to have someone who has witnessed or experienced events in history which many of us only read about or learn in school. This immediately brings to mind the aftermath of World War I, being a newborn when the Spanish flu affected one-quarter to one-third of the Australian population, the lead-up to and destruction caused by World War II, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War and now living through COVID-19. We hope Thelma may share the secret to a long and healthy life—I really want to know that. I wish Thelma the best of health and happiness ahead. MACKILLOP CATHOLIC COLLEGE Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) (20:18:38): Students from Mackillop Catholic College K-12 raised money for charity at their recent Crazy Sock Day. The students from the school should be praised for an enormous effort to raise $1,100 towards the Catholic Mission for World Mission Month. This money will help impoverished communities. This charity works with communities around the world to lift people out of poverty and set them on a path towards education, employment, food, housing security and general wellbeing. The students should all be praised for participating and wearing a large array of colourful and creative socks, with not a boring foot in sight. CENTRAL COAST MIDWIVES Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (20:19:17): I thank the fantastic group of midwives who have worked incredibly hard to support families on the Central Coast during this incredibly challenging year. It was been an honour and an eye-opener to work closely with them as COVID-19 arrived, to ensure safety and communications provided the utmost protection and wraparound support for women who were giving birth during these challenging times. I compliment them on the transition to new methods of consulting and supporting new mums during isolation. I compliment them on their creativity and innovation in delivering services for expectant mums and their families despite the challenges and barriers we faced during COVID-19. Their services are fabulous, and Coasties love them. It is tragic the Government has committed to cutting their wages as frontline workers. As our population is increasing we will work together to ensure the fantastic midwifery services on the coast are not diminished or reduced. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4949

COOTAMUNDRA ELECTORATE HIDDEN TREASURES Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra) (20:20:20): I celebrate just some of the amazing women of the Cootamundra electorate who go above and beyond to serve their communities and improve the lives of others. Janice Cattle of Wyalong, Ruth Fritsch, Pat Thomas and Ailsa Sinclair of Temora, Sue Houstein of Gundagai, Kaye Chapman of Covvra, Jennifer Duddle of Young and Elaine D'Elboux of Koorawatha have all been recognised on the 2020 Hidden Treasures Honour Roll. Every one of these women volunteer their time to serve others and are pillars of their communities. From voluntary grief counselling, fundraising to provide services to those undergoing medical treatment, helping families devastated by bushfires and every imaginable effort in between, these women are the beating heart of their communities. It is a privilege they call the Cootamundra electorate home. I congratulate them all on joining this roll of incredible rural women. COOPER RYAN Mr ROY BUTLER (Barwon) (20:21:17): I recognise Cooper Ryan from Bourke. The 2020 rugby league season was anything but a normal run-of-the-mill season. Sporting events were hit hard with COVID-19 restrictions and the communities felt the strain of not being able to support their local teams. But through all this one young man was determined to pursue his passion for rugby league. Sixteen-year-old Cooper Ryan from Bourke joined the Nyngan Tigers under-16s team. The Nyngan team did not have enough players for the season, which meant having to travel to and from Nyngan each week. Cooper found playing for the Tigers fulfilling as the team started winning games and made it to the grand final. During this time, he formed lifelong bonds on and off the field. Cooper has been selected in the 2020-21 Far West Academy of Sport under-17s Rugby League Squad, which will consist of mentoring and specialised coaching. I commend Cooper for his initiative and wish him all the best in realising his dreams. TERRIGAL ELECTORATE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (20:22:08): I formally pass on my gratitude and thanks to the eight residents across my electorate of Terrigal who have successfully completed 50 years of providing a justice of the peace service to our community. These people are: Mr Edwin Doughman, Mr Gregory Beckenham, Mr Peter Kastelan, Mr William Robertson, Mr Ronald Piltz, Mr Gilbert Slattery, Mr Neil Saunders, Mr Barry Shepherd and Mrs Lesley Hunter. Traditionally these people would be recognised in New South Wales Parliament to celebrate their service to our community, but unfortunately this has been postponed. I will have the honour of presenting their certificate to them and look forward to inviting them to a morning tea in my office to personally thank them for the service they have provided to our community over the last 50 years. Although being a justice of the peace is not a paid job traditionally, it is still an essential service throughout any community and I commend the men and women who provide this service. I look forward to celebrating with the people mentioned today and the many who will follow over the years to come. LUGARNO PUBLIC SCHOOL Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:23:44): I acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the volunteers at Lugarno Public School who have worked tirelessly through the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the wellbeing of students. Janette Allardyce-Walker, Leanne Ireland and P&C President Kristy McDonnell have done an outstanding job in keeping the canteen and uniform shop running during these difficult times. With no parents allowed on school grounds, the team has continued the operation of the uniform shop online thanks to Ms Ireland's fantastic information technology skills and Ms Allardyce-Walker's time in the shop where she filled out all of the orders herself. Ms McDonnell's commitment to the P&C over the past four years has really brought the team together through simplifying processes and creating initiatives that benefit not only the school but also the entire community. I am so proud of the leadership displayed by these inspiring women and I am honoured to recognise their achievements in Parliament and at the 2020 St George Community Awards. I congratulate the ladies. Both the school and our community are appreciative of their service. I wish them all the best in the future. PAULINE MANISKAS Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) (20:24:28): I congratulate successful applicant Pauline Maniskas from the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, Central Coast Branch, on being nominated for the 2020 Westfield Local Heroes. Three local leaders were nominated and voted for by their community and will be awarded a $10,000 grant each for their affiliated organisations to continue their work. Pauline is a volunteer secretary of the association and has dedicated 15 years to helping people experience the restorative effect of the ocean. She is the first contact for families interested in surfing, giving them confidence to come and try the events. Pauline helps organise surfing events, sources donations and visits schools to speak about the value of being inclusive. Pauline's goal is to nurture a sense of inclusion and belonging for those who are less able in the community by providing a safe and happy environment at surfing events. The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, Central Coast Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4950

branch will use the funds to invest in a beach wheelchair and other equipment such as rash shirts and surfboards. Congratulations to Pauline on her passionate work in the community and on raising the awareness of surfing and encouraging inclusiveness around the community. ROBYN AND CHARLES BERG Ms ROBYN PRESTON (Hawkesbury) (20:25:30): I was delighted to receive a lovely note handwritten on personalised stationery from an amazing woman by the name of Robyn Berg, in response to a birthday card I had sent Robyn for her eightieth birthday. In the letter she described the extraordinary life that she shared with her late husband, Charles Josef Berg. The contribution that Robyn and Charles Berg made to society is incredible. Her description of her and her late husband's life was amazing to read and led me online to read more. Robyn was an associate to a number of judges in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Charles was also a very prominent figure as an accountant and music administrator. Charles served as the president of the Musica Viva Society of Australia from 1968 to 1974 and chairman of Australian Opera from 1974 to 1986. He was made a life member of both organisations for his incredible work. Charles was admitted in 1940 to 41 as an associate member of the Association of Accountants. He began private practice after the war and went on to form the company Charles J. Berg & Associates. Charles later became the Australian representative of the Union Bank of Switzerland. He went on to operate his own private practice from 1980 to 1986 and became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia in 1981. Charles was a philanthropist and was also a director of many other companies, including Zurich Australian Insurance. I am very grateful to have discovered these two talented people in Hawkesbury. CENTRAL COAST LIFELINE Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (20:26:52): I recognise the important work of Lifeline volunteers across the Central Coast in supporting Coasties and their mental health. On 8 September, two days before World Suicide Prevention Day, Lifeline Central Coast received 3,326 calls. That represented a devastating record for calls received by Lifeline, who receive an average of 3,000 critical calls per day. Over 45 per cent of calls are being received due to the anxiety of COVID-19, with financial stress, joblessness, isolation and uncertainty leading to a great rise in Lifeline callers. If anyone needs help, Lifeline is available, with new online counselling services making help more accessible for everyone across the community. If anyone knows someone in need, let them know that they are not alone. Introducing someone to Lifeline's online and phone services could save a life. Those in need can call 13 11 14 for 24/7 confidential support. I thank the volunteers at Lifeline for the amazing work they do in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our community. They are truly making a difference in our community. COVID-19 AND BORDER COMMUNITIES Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra) (20:27:58): I acknowledge the efforts of all of those involved in managing the closure of the New South Wales-Victorian border and I welcome the news it will reopen on 23 November 2020. Communities along the border, and further away in my own electorate of Cootamundra, have faced a challenging time navigating the closure, which has not occurred since the Spanish Flu pandemic a century ago. I particularly thank the NSW Police Force, the Australian Defence Force and Service NSW for their efforts, and I acknowledge the pressures the closure has had on their resources and people. This has been a difficult time for our border communities and beyond. I acknowledge those members of the community who have faced significant upheaval and personal and financial loss and I thank them for their patience. The management of this pandemic by the Premier and the New South Wales Government should be commended, and I congratulate them on keeping our State safe. LES SMITH Mr DAVID HARRIS (Wyong) (20:28:54): I congratulate successful applicant Les Smith from Berkeley Vale Rural Fire Brigade on being nominated for the 2020 Westfield Local Heroes. Three local leaders were nominated and voted for by their community and will be awarded a $10,000 grant each for their affiliated organisations to continue their work. Les is a much valued and admired volunteer where he currently serves as deputy captain. He is always there on the front line during emergencies such as fires, floods, storms and car accidents. The bushfires in 2020 were the worst and most dangerous fires the brigade had ever faced and Les showed his commitment by putting the community first above his own safety. His contribution and passion for 40 years has been saving lives and property in the community, and now he is dedicated to training up the next generation of firefighters, passing on his knowledge and acting as a mentor. The Berkeley Vale Rural Fire Brigade will use the funds to purchase safety and protective gear and firefighting equipment and to complete a safety haven for the community. Well done to Les Smith on his nomination for being community minded, selfless and passionate. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4951

KOGARAH COMMUNITY SERVICES Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:29:57): The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on all members of the community, particularly those who are elderly and vulnerable. Today I recognise the hard work demonstrated by Kogarah Community Services to make these difficult times easier for those in need. During the pandemic the team has been offering a range of services, including emergency and food assistance services, mental health support and social wellbeing initiatives to ensure the health and safety of local residents. I particularly mention Malcolm Long, Cecilia Lu, Rocky Familietti and the entire committee, who all won awards at the 2020 St George Community Awards for their leadership and commitment during this difficult time. All three individuals won awards for their individual service and the organisation has won a group award for its overall community contribution. This is a fantastic achievement and it demonstrates the value of the organisation within the community and its consistent dedication to improving the lives of others. Well done everyone from Kogarah Community Services. I look forward to hearing more about the organisation's impressive work in the future. GIRLS ON THE GREEN Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (20:31:01): I congratulate everyone involved in the recent Girls on the Green event organised by Naughty Noodle Fun Haus. Exploding with colour, inspiration and community, the event provided the perfect antidote to the COVID blues. Members from across the community came together to enjoy a sense of connection and fun, and a great afternoon was had by all. Girls on the Green was a celebration of the amazing Central Coast women at the forefront of the music scene. Amazing local artists such as Nikki Bennet, Tessa Thames, Sam Windley, Corrie Hodson and June Richards soothed the ears of all in attendance and provided an amazing showcase of the cultural brilliance the Central Coast has to offer. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Central Coast arts community continues to bring joy to those across the coast. Support local artists this summer and get out and enjoy all that the Central Coast arts community has to offer. I also thank the team at Everglades who worked super hard to ensure the event was an amazing success. THE JEREMIAH PROJECT Ms ROBYN PRESTON (Hawkesbury) (20:32:05): I commend a homeless ministry by the name of The Jeremiah Project on its assistance to those in need in Windsor, Richmond and outside my electorate in Parramatta. The ministry consists of over 20 amazing volunteers. In addition to providing meals, it also listens to homeless people, lets them know that they are not alone and helps alleviate the stress and anxiety they may have. Homeless people are made to feel welcome and not alone, knowing that they can chat to the volunteers and turn to them to help them get back on their feet. The ministry also welcomes the vulnerable, in need, elderly and anyone else who would like a meal or just someone to talk to. I thank all the volunteers involved in The Jeremiah Project for the important work they do and I wish them all the best in the years ahead. SHARE THE DIGNITY CHARITY Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:32:55): I acknowledge the continued work of Share the Dignity, which is a national charity working to end period poverty in Australia. Every year my office assists in its donation drive to provide female hygiene products to those in need. I am always honoured to do my part in assisting this fantastic cause. It is so important that we work towards increasing equitable access to critical hygiene for women of all circumstances. This is the fifth, possibly sixth, year in a row that I have participated in the Share the Dignity drive and it is always fantastic to see my electorate get around and behind the drive with so many wonderful donations. I thank Simon Tolhurst, Rochelle Courtenay, Jennifer Witheriff, Nick Crethar, Matt Smith and Shayne Gilbert for all of the work they do in maintaining the prosperity and commitment of the organisation. The event has been particularly important during the recent pandemic with more and more women doing it tough. Well done to everyone involved. I look forward to participating again next year and I wish them all the best for the year ahead. NAIDOC WEEK 2020 Ms TANIA MIHAILUK (Bankstown)—I am pleased to recognise NAIDOC Week 2020, celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee [NAIDOC] was formed in 1956 but its history dates back to 1937, when churches first championed a national day of observance. Today, NAIDOC Week is an important annual week of celebration. This year's official theme is Always Was, Always Will Be, which recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for the Australian continent for over 65,000 years. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Darug and Eora people, the original inhabitants of the Canterbury Bankstown area, and take this opportunity to acknowledge the local Indigenous elders and leaders, including Uncle Harry Allie, Aunty Lyn Martin, Aunty Noeline Briggs-Smith; OAM, and Aunty Aloma Sagigi, and I commend their strong commitment to the local indigenous community and tremendous contribution to our local community. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4952

BANKSTOWN DISTRICT UNITING CHURCH Ms TANIA MIHAILUK (Bankstown)—I was honoured to attend the Bankstown District Uniting Church on Sunday, 15th November 2020 for the dedication of a new monument and flagpole to honour those who have given their lives in military service for peace. I would like to acknowledge Bankstown Uniting Church Minister the Reverend Gaby Kobrossi and the entire Parish Council, as well as the many distinguished guests in attendance at the ceremony, including Bankstown RSL Sub-Branch President Mr Terry Corcoran, Lakemba Mosque Imam Mohammed Abdul, Bankstown SES Operations Manager Mr Pat Johnson and Bankstown Police Chie Inspector Mr Colin Moore. The Bankstown District Uniting Church, which forms part of the Uniting Church in Australia – Synod of NSW and ACT, is a war memorial church and has a long and proud history of providing spiritual services and pastoral care to a diverse range of people within the Bankstown community, as well as serving as a permanent tribute to our fallen brave men and women of service. I take this opportunity to recognise the valuable work of Bankstown District Uniting Church and thank them for their tremendous contribution to our local community. LIZ BARLOW Mr STEPHEN KAMPER (Rockdale)—Speaker, I rise to congratulate Liz Barlow for her 25th anniversary as a Councillor serving the people of St George, first on the former Rockdale Council and now on the merged Bayside Council. Councillor Barlow is known for being fiercely independent, highly ethical and accessible by local residents. Councillor Barlow has been a strong advocate for heritage issues in the area, has consistently served on Council's community nursery for many years, and has been proud to deliver improved infrastructure in the area in recent years, such as in her support of the Rockdale Library and the Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre. Councillor Barlow never shies away from doing what she believes is the right thing to do, even when it's difficult, and it is undoubtedly why she is so respected across our community. Speaker, I have been proud to be able to work with Councillor Barlow on many local issues, and look forward to being able to continue to do so in the future. PIGGOTT'S PHARMACY Ms SONIA HORNERY (Wallsend)—It's my pleasure to acknowledge a very successful, and long term local family business. Piggott's Pharmacy is proudly celebrating 50 years of business. Chris and Shirley Piggott chose Blackbutt to open their first pharmacy in 1970. Their business grew, purchasing and operating more pharmacies, while raising their four children, Anthony, Skye, Andrew and Maddi. Chris, an educator, also taught pharmacy management at Newcastle University for 14 years. The family passed on their pharmacy passion to Anthony, Skye and Maddi. Anthony and Sky purchased the Blackbutt pharmacy from their parents in 2009, and added more pharmacy's to Branxton, Hamilton, Hamilton South, Huntlee, Lambton and Merewether. On 7 November 2020, the family came together with Chris, Shirley, their children and grandchildren (with the exception of Maddi who could not make it due to COVID19 restrictions), to celebrate 50 years of Piggott's Pharmacy and caring for the community. Thank you Chris and Shirley, Anthony, Skye, Andrew and Sandra, and Maddi. Your community spirit and quality care speaks for itself. Your sound business growth represents Piggott ingenuity. NEISHA MANNING Ms SONIA HORNERY (Wallsend)—Neisha Manning, a registered midwife, will never forget the first time she delivered her first baby. After three years studying at the University of Newcastle and four years of work at Maitland Hospital, Neisha is currently a team leader on the birthing unit at Maitland Hospital and at the Naae-Wanni Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service, as well as completing her Masters, casually teaching at the University of Newcastle and coaching a state league netball team. Neisha, is a finalist for the Aboriginal Nurse/Midwife of the Year category in the 2020 NSW Health Excellence in Nursing and Midwifery Awards, for "consistently maintaining the highest standards for all mothers and babies in the provision of quality, safe, compassionate and culturally appropriate healthcare." These awards are an opportunity to honour nurses and midwives across NSW who go above and beyond and make a real difference not only within their teams but, most importantly, to the patients they care for. Thank you, Neisha, and good luck with the awards ceremony. KATIE NEWCOMBE Mr STEPHEN BROMHEAD (Myall Lakes)—Mr Speaker, I rise to recognise 20 year old Katie Newcombe who was recently named Rotary's 2020 Young Inspirational Woman- Health Care Worker. Working in an aged care facility, Katie has become versed in helping people, she dedicates her spare time to volunteering with the Harrington SES. Her role in the SES includes documenting and relaying storm and flood intelligence, and as well as hands on duties such as assisting with property damage, protection, and chainsaw jobs. While deployed to help the Rural Fire Service during the recent bushfires, her maturity and judgement helped to save firefighters. When several teams were trapped by fast-developing fires, Katie kept a clear head, and radioed for Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4953

help, thereby leading them to safety. Katie was also one of four finalist in the Rotary Emergency Services Community awards Dorothy Hennessey; OAM Scholarship for volunteers under 25. I again recognise and congratulate Katie Newcombe for her dedication and hard work assisting the local community. BULAHDELAH BUSINESS CHAMBER Mr STEPHEN BROMHEAD (Myall Lakes)—Mr Speaker, I rise to congratulate Bulahdelah Business Chamber that have been named as one of five finalists for the Local Business chamber award in the 2020 Hunter Business Awards. It's been a tough year for a lot of businesses locally and across the globe as they faced unprecedented restrictions due to Covid-19 and it has been with the help of organisations like the Bulahdelah Business Chamber, that has helped to guide business through the challenges. The Bulahdelah chamber last took out the award in 2017 and are hoping to take it home again when the winners are announced this Friday. I again congratulate the Business chamber and wish them luck ahead of the announcement. GLENFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOL Mr (Macquarie Fields)—I want to congratulate students from Glenfield Public School for taking action and campaigning for road safety improvements around their school. The students in 5/6G contacted me with their suggestions to improve road safety issues such as speeding vehicles; illegal U-turns; illegal parking; people crossing the road in an unsafe manner; and drivers arguing in front of students. A project of their own initiative based on their own solutions. It's fantastic to see that these students are so passionate about creating a safer environment for their peers, staff and parents at the school. I was impressed by the ideas students came up with to address the road safety issues as well as their tenacity in contacting me to help advocate on their behalf. Some of the suggestions by students included speed reduction devices on Waterloo Place; 'No parking' restrictions; the installation of children's crossings; a 'kiss and ride' zone on Railway Parade; increased Council ranger activity; and road safety signage. It is heartening to know that some of our youngest residents are motivated enough to fight for change in their community. VICTORIA ELLIS AND BRANDON JOYNSON Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—I'd like to congratulate Toronto High School's Victoria Ellis and Brandon Joynson on their recent election as the school's 2021 School Captains. Victoria is widely respected by the student body and will no doubt prove to be an effective leader. She has participated in school service from a young age by making morning announcements on roll call since Year 8 and mentoring Year 7 through the Peer Support program whilst in Year 10. Brandon is already a strong leader and is well liked by his peers who describe him as determined, polite and affable with a great sense of humour. He has always had an excellent academic record and was accelerated in his Biology course, completing his Preliminary and HSC course in this subject one year earlier than his peers. Young people who take on such responsibility are very likely to go on and be leaders in other ways, whether it's within their chosen profession, perhaps in public life, business or the public service. I believe we will see great things from Victoria and Brandon in the future and I wish them well. PENINSULA RURAL FIRE SERVICE Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—I'd like to acknowledge the super-human efforts displayed by Peninsula Rural Fire Brigade during the 2019 – 2020 bushfire season. The brigade's 43 members did not stop throughout the entire season. They worked gruelling extended shifts, attended a total of 49 call-outs, took part in multiple strike teams and were deployed to numerous fire events out of their local area. Some members even sacrificed spending Christmas Day and New Year's Eve with their families to ensure communities were kept safe. The brigade also assisted with multiple storm clean-up efforts throughout the Central Coast once the fire season finished. This brigade does so much more than fight fires. Its very presence brings a sense of safety and reassurance to the Morisset Peninsula community. Before the horror season began, the brigade hosted an informative public meeting which was attended by 130 people. During that meeting, community members were educated about the potential dangers of the season ahead and what they needed to do to protect themselves and their properties. I applaud the Peninsula RFS on their ongoing efforts to keep us safe and thank them for their selfless dedication shown over many years. LIFE IN SYDNEY SNAPSHOT Ms JO HAYLEN (Summer Hill)—I acknowledge the Committee for Sydney's recently released Life in Sydney snapshot, which amongst other things, reports that the majority of Sydney siders support building new cycleways. 52% of respondents supported additional cycling lanes in Sydney and 46% stated they would cycle more if our roads were safer. 58% supported the notion that more school kids should cycle to school. During the COVID crisis, increasing numbers of people have taken up cycling; recognising it is a COVID-safe, healthy, cheap, and environmentally friendly way to commute. Research is critical to understanding how the pandemic has changed the way we travel and how people want to use our city, and that is why the work of the Committee for Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4954

Sydney is so important. The Committee for Sydney's goal is to help build the Sydney of tomorrow by finding innovative solutions to our city's problems, such as planning our city's travel network. Thank you to Gabriel Metcalf, Eamon Waterford, and all the team at Committee for Sydney for publishing the snapshot and for laying out a vision of what a future Sydney would look like with active transport at its heart. INTERNATIONAL DRUG USERS' DAY Ms JO HAYLEN (Summer Hill)—1 November is International Drug Users' Day. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey reveals that approximately 3.4 million Australians report having used illicit substances, however, drug users in our community face ongoing stigma and discrimination. This year, International Drug Users' Day draws attention to the specific challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to harm minimisation, prevention strategies and well-funded treatment programs are crucial in reducing overdoses and unnecessary deaths, yet access to these critical services is limited. Local organisations continue to do critical work to support and protect drug users in NSW during the pandemic and beyond, including NUAA, ACON, the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, DanceWize, Harm Reduction Australia, Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, Kirketon Road Centre and Ted Noffs Foundation. It is clear that we need to do much more to reduce stigma and discrimination and to ensure drug users are treated with dignity within our health system and within our community. VIC ALHADEFF Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (Epping—Treasurer)—Today I wish to pay tribute to an outstanding Jewish Australian, Mr Vic Alhadeff. Mr Alhadeff recently announced that he will be stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Board of Deputies after 16 years in the job. Mr Alhadeff has distinguished himself as a principled and upright leader within the broader Jewish community, and has made an invaluable contribution to public debate in Australia on antisemitism, multiculturalism, religious freedom, the State of Israel, and public policy in general. I would like to thank Mr Alhadeff for his enormous contribution to the Jewish community, and to public life in this state. I understand Mr Alhadeff will be continuing in his role for a few months yet until a replacement is elected early next year. He will then serve as a consultant on the Board of Deputies. I wish Mr Alhadeff and his wife Nadene all the best as they retire from what has, no doubt, been a demanding but rewarding full-time role. DENNIS PETERS Ms KATE WASHINGTON (Port Stephens)—Speaker, tonight I wish to pay tribute to long term Port Stephens resident and captain of Raymond Terrace Fire and Rescue, Dennis Peters. Dennis has been serving as a retained firefighter for 23 years, and captain of Raymond Terrace Fire and Rescue for the past 7 years. For countless emergencies including HAZMAT situations, structural fires and car fires, Dennis was there. He responded to calls for help in 2007 when the super storm washed the Pasha Bulker cargo ship onto Nobbys Beach, he was there again on scene for countless call outs during the 2015 super storm. Dennis and his crew battled a blaze for over a week in 2013 when bushfires destroyed six homes in Salt Ash. Through his role as captain, Dennis took special interest in community education, conducting home visits for the elderly and visiting schools to teach kids about fire safety. Personally, I always enjoyed seeing so many people at his station's open day, especially the kids grinning with excitement. On behalf of the people of Port Stephens and this Parliament, I wish Dennis and his family a peaceful retirement, and sincerely thank him for his service to our community. DEBBIE BOOTH Ms KATE WASHINGTON (Port Stephens)—Speaker, I rise to recognise Debbie Booth from the Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club who was recently awarded the prestigious NSW Surf Life Saving Volunteer of the Year. Debbie has been involved with Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club for over 20 years. She joined the club in 1996 as a way to educate her children about the surf, before becoming a club official and serving as director of education for the Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving for 13 years. Debbie was the first woman ever elected President of the Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Club and then President of the Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving. As the recipient of the NSW award, Debbie is now in the running for the Australian Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence later this year. This year marks the 40th anniversary of women being able to join Surf Life Saving Clubs as patrol members. Debbie is a wonderful example of the strengths, skills, and experience that women bring to the Surf Life Saving movement. On behalf of the people of Port Stephens and this Parliament, I congratulate Debbie Booth, and wish her and her awesome club, a safe season. SYDNEY AIRFIELD TOUR Mr MARK COURE (Oatley)—Speaker, I rise to inform the House of a recent tour I had the privilege of attending. On the 28th of October, I toured Sydney Airport's airfield via minibus. It was fascinating to see the regular operation of the airport and how knowledgeable and efficient the staff are. Sydney is so lucky to have a Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4955

world-class international airport and under the Berejiklian Government, it will soon have a second. This is an investment into tourism and local jobs, both of which are crucial for our economic rebuild. Unfortunately, Sydney Airport has suffered quite significantly this year. In 2019, an average of 890 flights would leave Sydney Airport. This year, that number now sits at only 110. This means Sydney Airport has lost a quarter of its workforce, which is a true tragedy. It is my hope that with this Government's investment into Western Sydney Airport, we can recover those jobs and get the industry in NSW back on track. I would like to thank Mitch Dudley for coordinating the experience. Mitch is a great friend of mine and does an excellent job at Sydney Airport. 45 YEARS OF SBS IN AUSTRALIA Mr MARK COURE (Oatley)—Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 45th Anniversary of SBS Radio and the 40th Anniversary of local SBS television here in Australia. SBS has a longstanding legacy within our community and I applaud their ability to ensure that information is readily available for multicultural and multilingual Australians. SBS has played a critical role throughout the COVID pandemic in keeping our community aware and up to date on the latest health advice. In less than a week, they were able to develop the SBS Multilingual Coronavirus Portal to curate COVID-19 content into one easily accessible portal in 63 different languages. It is this ability to look out for others and bring our community together that has made SBS a cornerstone of local media for the past 45 years. In this time they have covered numerous global events including the September 11 attacks, the recent climate protests and countless federal elections. I congratulate the SBS network on all of their achievements and commitment to the Australian public over the past 45 years and I wish them many more years of success moving forward. BLACKSMITHS PUBLIC SCHOOL Ms YASMIN CATLEY (Swansea)—Speaker, I rise to congratulate Blacksmiths Public School on winning the Overall Primary School category of the 2020 Lake Macquarie School Environment Awards. Blacksmiths Public School won the award for its work in adopting environmentally sustainable actions including monitoring water usage, mulching gardens and the installation of timers on all watering systems. Relieving Principal Mr Luke Mcllvenie described the school's commitment to raising environmental awareness with students stating 'At Blacksmiths Public School, we focus on sustainability and understanding for our school community. School environmental leaders facilitate and foster student involvement with daily activities and processes that ensure the school is helping the environment'. Our schools play an important role in promoting a positive approach to improving and protecting our local environment, Blacksmiths Public Schools work in this area has been a credit to all its staff. I congratulate all the staff and students of Blacksmiths Public School for these efforts and being recognised at the 2020 Lake Macquarie School Environment Awards. ST MARY'S CATHOLIC COLLEGE Ms YASMIN CATLEY (Swansea)—Speaker, I rise to congratulate St Mary's Catholic College on winning the Overall High School category of the 2020 Lake Macquarie School Environment Awards. St Mary's Catholic College won the award for its efforts in energy saving, waste reduction and improving the natural environment. Science teacher Katrina Piper described importance to students of developing the tools to create lifelong learning and global change stating 'Students are very aware of the environmental crisis that our planet faces. Participating in the Environmental Awards encourages them to be involved and make a difference from the ground up'. Our schools play an important role in helping equip students with the skills to help protect our local environment, St Mary's Catholic College work in this area has been a credit to all its staff. I congratulate all the staff and students of St Mary's Catholic College for their efforts and being recognised at the 2020 Lake Macquarie School Environment Awards. JENNY GLEDHILL — COOMEALLA Mrs HELEN DALTON (Murray)—It is my privilege to recognise Jenny Gledhill of Coomealla. Jenny was a co-founder of the Sunraysia Cancer Support Group initiated in 1980. Since that inception, Jenny has been an Executive member and is the current Chair. In 2006 the organisation applied for seed funding through Cancer Australia, to set up a shopfront, known as Sunraysia Cancer Resource which had to become sustainable within three years of operation. Since 2007 the Sunraysia Cancer Resource has supported more than 3,000 families with the centre operating with volunteer and paid staff to assist families effected by cancer. Through Jenny and her team's efforts, Sunraysia Cancer Resources is a well-respected organisation within the community and is the beneficiary of community and corporate donations. As a former nurse, a carer of a child with cancer and remote home and community care provider, Jenny retired gracefully from her working life last year at the age of 70 but continues her passionate voluntary role and involvement with the Sunraysia Cancer Resources Jenny's dedication to the Sunraysia Cancer Resources and Commealla community is greatly appreciated. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4956

BARRY FRANCIS Dr JOE McGIRR (Wagga Wagga)—Barry Francis was not only a familiar face to people in Wagga Wagga, but his guitar performances regularly brightened the day of the city's residents and visitors alike. Mr Francis, a dedicated Rotarian, regularly busked around Wagga Wagga's CBD. These street performances not only helped him to raise $17,000 for charity, but led to him releasing a CD entitled Songs of the Street. The former Royal Australian Air Force teacher, who first arrived in Wagga in 1994 on a posting, passed away on November 1, aged 73, after a long battle with heart problems. cis was a local president of Rotary from 2011-2012, received a Paul Harris Fellowship in 2012 and a sapphire pin in 2016. A keen rugby union player, he began with Easts in Brisbane from age 29, playing into his late 30s. Mr Francis was the much-loved husband of Chris, and father and father in-law of Matthew, and Kate and Adriaan Steyn and a devoted 'Poppy' to Bryant and Lorelei. I would like to extend my sympathies to Mr Francis's family and friends. A jaunt down Wagga Wagga's Baylis Street will not be the same without Mr Francis. POMINGALARNA RESERVE Dr JOE McGIRR (Wagga Wagga)—The people of Wagga Wagga are looking forward to being told to "get on your bike". Earlier this month a sod-turning ceremony marked the official start of construction on Wagga Wagga's new $9.2 million multi-sport cycling complex at Pomingalarna Reserve. The project is funded through a $7 million grant from the NSW Government and $2.2 million from Wagga Wagga City Council. Work is due to begin in earnest early next year. The complex will cater for competitive and recreational cyclists and feature a criterium track, jump and pump tracks, cycling education area, velodrome and supporting infrastructure. It has the potential to make Wagga Wagga the best regional venue for elite cycling events. The success of the program is due, in large part, to the hard work of many in the community. Five of the cycling groups based in Wagga Wagga formed a combined working group to join with Council and plan this project. Wagga Wagga's Wiradjuri and First Nations women have also worked hard to ensure the development is respectful and representative of Pomingalarna's significance to Wiradjuri cultural heritage. I commend these groups for their hard work and dedication. FATHER JOSH MIECHELS Mr GUY ZANGARI (Fairfield)—I take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of Father Josh Miechels of the Emmanuel Community and assistant priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Fairfield on the establishment of his podcast series The Furnace. Father Josh recorded the first of his free daily homilies on 24th March at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when churches closed. Through The Furnace, Father Josh is reaching his listeners with daily homilies that encourage and inspire, in podcasts that last five minutes or less. These homilies were essential during the COVID-19 lockdown period when fear and uncertainty dominated, and when people were in need of a connection with the Church through scripture and prayer. What began as a lockdown experiment has flourished into a ritual for many people - a powerful daily experience which, while short, can be enough to inject some positivity into the day. I commend Father Josh on this inspiring project and his missionary work in general, which has touched so many in such a short period of time. VVIP CLEANING SERVICES LAUNCH Mr GUY ZANGARI (Fairfield)—I recently had the great honour of attending the grand opening of local business VVIP Cleaning Services Limited, joined by my colleague Hugh McDermott MP, State Member for Prospect. A local company, VVIP Cleaning Australia is a residential and commercial cleaning service which caters to schools and businesses throughout NSW. We were lucky enough to be treated to a tour of the store and the equipment used by the VVIP Cleaning Australia team by director Mr Anmar Desho. It is clear that the team have committed to using quality products to deliver quality cleaning services. We all know how vital these types of services have been invaluable to the community since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the commitment of VVIP Cleaning Services Australia to providing their services to our local area will go a long way towards keeping our community COVID-safe. I would like to offer my congratulations to Mr Anmar Desho and the team at VVIP Cleaning Australia and wish them all the best in the future of their business. PENRITH VALLEY SPORTS FOUNDATION AWARDS Mr STUART AYRES (Penrith—Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney)— I congratulate the local award recipients from across 11 categories for their contribution to sport who were recognised at the recent Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Annual Awards evening held at Emu Sports Club. Ray Dukes – Jim Anderson Memorial Award; Trish Conner – Sports Administration Award; Erik Horrie – All Abilities Award; Tim Bailey – Coach of the Year; Robert Ferrier – Volunteer of the Year; Penrith District Netball 13 Years Stage Age Titles Team – Team of the Year Award comprising of team members Isabella Degei, Jayla Dicker, Matoisha Kalepo, Faith Luai, Sophia Meehan, Brooke Ryan, Jessica Ryan, Hayley Price, Jessica Stevens, Angel Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4957

Tagaloamatua, Jada Taylor and Head Coach: Julie Opie, Assistant Coach: Emma Thornton, Manager: Megan Oakes and Primary Care: Priscilla Quinlan; Luciana Macedo – Masters Athlete Award; Amanda Houison – Referee/Umpire Award; Sophie Wilson – Rising Star Award; Patrick Beach – Junior Sportstar of the Year; Taylah Tsitsikrinos – Senior Sportstar of the Year. I wish all exceptional recipients who are excelling in their chosen field all the very best and look forward to hearing of their future achievements. MIA ARMITAGE Ms (Ballina)—Today, I congratulate Mia Armitage and BayFM 99.9 on winning the Excellence in Journalism category at the 2020 Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Community Radio Awards for their report, "Living in Paradise". While the Northern Rivers' laidback lifestyle, natural wonders and great weather justify the term "paradise", Mia's reportage reveals it has a dark side – an epidemic of homelessness. Accompanying the region's growing appeal as a mass tourism destination is a spike in short-term holiday letting that has led to a chronic shortage of homes for residents to rent. The cost of buying or renting has soared. Byron Shire is said to have 20 per cent of the State's homeless population. Housing stress across the Northern Rivers is acute. Mia spoke to those most badly affected by the shortage in affordable housing, including mothers with young children, as well as people working hard to create positive solutions and genuine affordable, long term housing. It is the third time Mia has won an award for radio documentaries, evidence of the high standards of BayFM journalism, and the relevance and significance of their work. BANGALOW HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ms TAMARA SMITH (Ballina)—Today, I congratulate the members of the Bangalow Historical Society, and in particular, hard-working President Trisha Bleakley, for excellent work as custodians of the town's European history. The Society has for 20 years overseen the Bangalow Heritage House Museum and Café, fielding a team of volunteers who have maintained the building and its contents and facilitated its development into a tourist attraction and a haven for locals and visitors alike. Sitting amid the tranquil and environmentally educational Parklands, the Museum offers friendly and welcoming service and good food, as well as access to the heritage town's fascinating history. The Society is aiming to broaden its mission of bringing the past into the present with a series of art exhibitions, creating opportunities for local emerging artists to gain exposure for their work. Ever-resourceful, the team is inviting sponsors to "buy" doors which will be configured in various combinations around the museum and which will be used to hang artwork. The museum encapsulates the best kind of country hospitality and tourist attraction and I cannot praise highly enough the energy and dedication of the Society's members. COMMEMORATING HMAS SYDNEY II Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore)—Today I acknowledge the 79th anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Sydney II on 19 November 1941. This morning I laid a wreath at the Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony and Commemorative Memorial Service in memory of those who perished. HMAS Sydney II served primarily in the Mediterranean from June 1940 and within hours of Italy's war declaration, the British Fleet sailed on its first patrol sweep in the early hours of 11 June. The war in the Mediterranean had erupted swiftly and for the young Australian sailors on board it was a sobering introduction to war at sea in the northern hemisphere. HMAS Sydney II took part in numerous engagements, including the Battle of Calabria, and the Battle of Cape Spada where it took on two Italian cruisers, firing over 956 rounds of 6-inch shells at the enemy. The German raider HSK Kormoran sank the Sydney on 19 November 1941 after it was fatally hit by a torpedo and of Sydney's total complement of 42 officers and 603 ratings, none survived. Thank you to the HMAS Sydney Association for organising this service, particularly Barry Brooks and Brian Yeo. PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH WEEK Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore)—Speaker, November 8 to 14 marks Perinatal Mental Health Week, a chance to raise awareness nationally of perinatal mental health and support those expectant and new parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety. One in five new mums and one in ten new dads will experience perinatal depression and anxiety, and unfortunately, the stigma around mental health, especially in parenting, still exists. Organisations such as Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia, PANDA, and the Gidget Foundation support women and their families who are suffering from perinatal anxiety or depression. I would like to acknowledge Arabella Gibson from the Gidget Foundation, which is located in North Sydney in my electorate, and all the dedicated health professionals, parents, friends, family members, and supporters, all of whom share a passion for raising awareness of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety. The experience of perinatal depression and anxiety is even tougher during these uncertain global times, and it is so important that organisations such as PANDA and the Gidget Foundation are able to connect and support new and expectant parents. Raising awareness this week helps decrease the stigma, and provides support to get the right help that will lead to a faster recovery. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4958

CARLY AND HANNAH ROBINSON Mr LEE EVANS (Heathcote)—I wish to acknowledge two of my constituents, Carly and Hannah Robinson of Engadine. Last week Hannah was awarded the BJP Physical Culture 2020 State Champion. I congratulate Hannah on this exceptional achievement and wish her all the best in her future competitions and endeavours. Carly, Hannah's mum, teaches Physical Culture at BJP Sylvania and this week she came second in the second in the Senior Ladies State BJP championship. I also wish to congratulate Carly outstanding accomplishment. With over 130 clubs, BJP Physical Culture is Australia's longest running and premier Physical Culture organisation. Founded over 127 years ago as the Bjelke-Petersen School of Physical Culture, BJP has proudly inspired generations of Australians to exercise both body and mind through this remarkable sport. BJP Physical Culture is for members aged 3-73 making it a sport for everyone. Once again, congratulations to Hannah and Carly on their success- they truly are a mother-daughter powerhouse! AUNT PRISCILLA WIGHTMAN Ms (Lismore)—LAST WEEK, we celebrated NAIDOC week. The theme, "Always Was, Always Will Be", deeply resonates with our community as we recognise that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. This annual celebration is important as we acknowledge the role, contribution and achievements of our First Nations people. In the spirit of NAIDOC week, I pay tribute to an extraordinary Aboriginal woman, who I have known for many years, Aunt Priscilla Wightman. Aunt Priscilla is a passionate advocate for the Aboriginal community through her role as an elder and advisory board member of the Lismore – Grandmothers Against Removal [GMAR]. The Lismore GMAR is a grassroots group, led by Aboriginal grandmothers, mothers and families, fighting against the forced removal of First Nation children from their families, communities, and culture. As a supporter, I applaud their ongoing advocacy. Aunt Priscilla is a proud Yulaaray/Bigambul woman, who has lived in Lismore for more than 30 years. Following the step of her friend, teacher and mentor, the late Aunt Dorothy Gordon, she is studying the Diploma in Ministry and Theology course at the Wontulp-Bi-Buya College. I thank Aunt Priscilla for her tireless work and commitment. KENYA HEALTH MURWILLUMBAH Ms JANELLE SAFFIN (Lismore)—Having been involved in humanitarian projects in Timor-Leste and Myanmar, I am proud to see a local community organisation, Kenya Health, delivering much-needed health services for young children and women in Kenya. I am pleased to learn that it also offers services to anyone who presents themselves at its clinics. Founded by the late Lyle Burgoyne, a highly respected registered nurse and midwife from Murwillumbah, Kenya Health supports the communities in Nakuru and remote villages, such as Pokot, Kisee and Transmara, by providing medicine, medical treatment and health education. As free medical service is unavailable in Kenya, I know that the services provided by Kenya Health, which include a fully qualified local nurse and midwife, Rosemary, and two on-the-ground staff members, are much appreciated and welcomed. I also acknowledge important medical, clinics, hospice and infrastructure projects, initiated by Kenya Health, which are working together and designed to achieve sustainable and long-term results. I take this opportunity to recognise the many volunteers, who have helped Kenya Health delivers its services, and thank the board members, Harold and Maree Hardy, Jen Burgoyne, Judy Leahy, Hannah Burgoyne, Ivan Leahy, Ann Prendergast and Lynelle Burgoyne, for their ongoing work and commitment. CASTLE HILL PUBLIC SCHOOL P&C Mr RAY WILLIAMS (Castle Hill)—I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the Castle Hill Public School Parents and Citizens Association for their continued dedication to the students of Castle Hill. Every year the P&C organises the annual Mother's and Father's Day stalls, as well as the Gala Day BBQ, the ever successful Open Air Movie Night and the Welcome Morning Tea for new families, alongside operating the canteen and uniform shop. Furthermore, the P&C contribute many one-off purchases, in recent years these being landscaped front gardens, red shade sails above the play area, interactive whiteboards, laptops, iPads, and the bus and kiss & drop shelter. It was recently my pleasure to announce $9,384 worth of funding for the upgrade of the canteen, including for the fridge, oven and hot drink machine, required as the intake of students to the school continues to rise. This was a part of the $300,000 provided to my electorate in the 2020 round of the Community Building Partnership Grants. I would like to thank the executive for all their hard work over recent years, including Katherine Mullen, Liga Hegner, Mamoud Payam, Conrad van Dort, Erica Miller, Andrew Olennick, Mel, Sonya, Mandy LaFaber, Oxana Brizhineva and Chris Kirk. RECOGNISING ROB KATZ Mr RAY WILLIAMS (Castle Hill)—I would like to take this opportunity to recognise Rob Katz, who yesterday was awarded the Sport NSW Community Coach of the Year Award. Rob, alongside his wife Kerrye Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4959

have been the Head Coaches of Budokan Judo Club in Castle Hill for over 20 years, and have Judo experience as both coaches and athletes beyond that. Budokan's athletes have always had great success on the mat, with recent results being of particular note, winning 11 gold medals at the 2019 Australian Judo Championships. As well as this, Rob's sons Josh and Nathan competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and are on track to compete in Tokyo in 2021. I have long had the pleasure of knowing Rob and everyone at the Club, and can personally vouch for his dedication and professionalism, as well as his pure passion for the sport, which results in a community oriented club that also knows how to win at the most elite level. Accordingly, I had the honour of recently presenting Rob with a NSW Community Service Award. Congratulations again Rob, it is well deserved, and I wish Budokan all the best for the future, and wish Nathan and Josh all the best for Tokyo. NURSES IN THE CHARLESTOWN ELECTORATE Ms (Charlestown)—Saturday 14 November was World Diabetes Day. The theme of this year's Day was "Nurses Make the Difference". Nurses are often the first interaction for someone diagnosed with diabetes, helping them to learn how to manage the condition, and nursing staff play an important role in recognising the importance of diabetes management in hospitals can shorten a patient's stay and reduce the risks of complications. The contributions of nurses goes far beyond the management of diabetes, of course. Nurses are the backbone of our health system. They are on the frontlines of patient care, ensuring that sick and injured people have the support they need to get better. Nursing is a crucial, difficult job, and I applaud all Charlestown Electorate nurses for their work. They are often under-appreciated, underpaid and forced to juggle more than they should because of staffing issues—but they show up every day and care for the sick and injured. At some point in our lives, all of us have been touched by the professionalism, skill and generosity of our nurses. I once again thank them for their work. SCOUTING Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)—I have long been a supporter of Scouting, and I would like to acknowledge the ways in which Scouts NSW and local Scouting groups in the Charlestown Electorate have risen to the extraordinary challenges of COVID-19. Scouting is so important for the growth of young people and the development of resilience and life skills. The Resilience Survey, commissioned by Scouts Australia, has found that young people involved in Scouts have an overall better life satisfaction that their peers; are more likely to feel good about themselves; are more likely to trust others; are more likely to feel they make a positive contribution to their community; are more like to forgive themselves if they make a mistake; and are less likely to report feeling tired or having little energy. The report also found that Scouts are more likely to report positive mental and physical health. At a time when so many young people feel disconnected from their communities and are experiencing a great deal of pressure, Scouting is a productive outlet which builds resilience for life. I applaud Scouts Australia, Scouts NSW and our local Scouting chapters, as well as all the Scouts and volunteers who support them. MICK REID Mrs SHELLEY HANCOCK (South Coast—Minister for Local Government)—Mick Reid has retired as Governor of the South Coast Correctional Centre after more than 30 years of service in the NSW Police Force. Commencing in 1984 at Long Bay Correctional Facility's Training Complex, a lot has changed about the role and how inmates are treated and rehabilitated. As you can imagine, the role has seen a vast array of trials, both physically and mentally, with Mick having dealt with a range of challenges including riots and assaults. In a big change of pace, Mick now plans to finish building his home and to travel Australia with his wife. I thank Mick for his years serving our local community and wish him and his family all the best for their future plans. VINCENTIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Mrs SHELLEY HANCOCK (South Coast—Minister for Local Government)—Once again the students of Vincentia High School have excelled at Wakakirri - Australia's largest performing arts event for schools, who won the national Story Award for Best Social/Current Affair Story, and were nominees for Story of the Year. This tremendous success comes after having won both the Best Indigenous Australian Story Award and the Secondary Reconciliation Story Award judged by Reconciliation Australia last year. A Wakakirri story-dance is a performance by a group of students that theatrically tells a story utilising the combined arts of dancing, acting and movement. Each year hundreds of schools across Australia create Story-Dances for Wakakirri that reflect students' thoughts, ideas and aspirations. This year the performance by Vincentia High explored racism and how we can improve race relations through their dance "Racism is Learned". Established 28 years ago, the Wakakirri Challenge usually takes place in theatres, however the 2020 festival was updated to an online-only format to ensure COVID safety. Well done Vincentia High, it is wonderful to see success among students of the South Coast. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4960

VIC ALHADEFF Mr (Hornsby—Minister for Energy and Environment)—Today I would like to acknowledge Vic Alhadeff who is stepping down after 16 years as CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. Vic will be finishing his full time duties early next year and will take on a part time consultancy role in the organisation. Prior to taking on the role as CEO Vic spent 18 years at the Australian Jewish News where he reported on some of the world's biggest stories from the Gulf War to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Vic has also served as chair of Multicultural NSW and as spokesperson for the Keep Safe Coalition. During this time he campaign successfully for legislative to outlaw incitement to violence on the basis of race, religion, gender and sexual orientation. Vic has made an extraordinary contribution to our state. His work to support a more diverse, inclusive and tolerant society is unrivalled. Thank you Vic for dedication, hard work and passion for the people of New South Wales ST PAUL THE APOSTLE PRIMARY SCHOOL'S MARGARET AYLWARD AWARDS 2020 Mr MARK TAYLOR (Seven Hills)—I recognise the recipients of the Margaret Aylward Awards from St Paul the Apostle Primary School at Winston Hills in the Seven Hills Electorate. On 27 October, the school's year groups separately gathered to for liturgies to celebrate school values and the winners of the awards. Sister Brenda and Sister Pauline sent their best wishes and congratulations to the students who were acknowledged by a vote from their peers on which classmate best demonstrates empathy, commitment, leadership, integrity and faith. These are the values inspired by Margaret Aylward and the Holy Faith Sisters. Well done to the following students for their award: kindergarten's Ariana F; Amelie S from year 1; Kayla A from year 2; Imogen G from year 3; Alannah C from year 4 and Michael R from year 5. I commend these outstanding students on their leadership in the school and the wider community. It is a big achievement to be recognised by your peers and thank you for demonstrating integrity and empathy at St Paul's. SEVEN HILLS NORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFF Mr MARK TAYLOR (Seven Hills)—Recently, I have received calls and correspondence from parents of Seven Hills North Public School regarding the incredible, on-going efforts during the pandemic of the school's staff. Rain, hail or shine the teachers and staff of Seven Hills North Public have assisted with getting students in and out of parents and carers cars and helping at the bus stop every day. The school has a terrific reputation in the local area and across the Blacktown district learning community. I want to acknowledge teachers: Sandy Abu-Duhou; Jacquelyn Barudzija; Kendal Baxter; Georgia Blanch; Christine Dundas; Laura Golcman; Janet Goodman; Alicia Hinds; Kristen Kilpatrick; Elena McCann; Tracey McDonald; Lynda McKewen; Robyn Mossfield; Ashleigh Ricketts; Leonie Sargeant; Sue Sinai; Agnes Singh; and Julie Suleiman. I also want to thank the school's administration team of Louise Mear and Bronwyn Connell and teacher's aides Nancy Youssef and Bernie Shannon. I thank principal Renai Diamond for her tremendous leadership of Seven Hills North Public School. WAMBO COAL SINGLETON HALL OF FAME Mr MICHAEL JOHNSEN (Upper Hunter)—I would like to congratulate the additional six inductees who were recently inducted into the Wambo Coal Singleton Hall of Fame. The Wambo Coal Singleton Hall of Fame was established in 2009 in partnership between the Singleton Council & Peabody Wambo Coal to recognise people who have a strong association with Singleton and who have attained prominence at a State, National or International level in their field of endeavour. Congratulations to the following inductees: Gregory Lancaster for his success at sport, Gerard McMillan for his service to the Community, the Late Ken Neely for his service to the community, the Late Charlie Shearer for his contribution to business, industry and tourism, The Hon. George Souris AM, for his contribution to Public Service, Singleton PCYC for their contribution to the Singleton community. Again congratulations to all inductees and I thank them for their outstanding contribution to the community of Singleton and the Upper Hunter. LILLIAN MAY BALDWIN & PENRITH RSL SUB-BRANCH Mr STUART AYRES (Penrith—Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney)— I congratulate Lillian May Baldwin who celebrated her 100th birthday on August 16 2020. Lillian and her husband, Arthur were both active members in the Norlane RSL in Geelong VIC. Following Arthurs passing, Lillian relocated to NSW where she has lived in the Penrith area for the past 30 years and has been active with the City of Penrith RSL Sub-branch. In addition to her 3 daughters, Lillian has 7 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. This year the City of Penrith RSL Sub-branch [Sub-branch] also celebrates its 100th birthday and as the exact date of its formation is not known they chose Lillian's birthday to celebrate both these momentous occasions. The Sub-branch was formed in 1919 and the first official Charter was awarded in 1920. The Sub-branch held a small celebration with Lillian in attendance for the official cake cutting. I understand Lillian was thrilled Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4961

to have her birthday chosen as the Sub-branches day of commemoration. Congratulations to Lillian and the City of Penrith RSL Sub-Branch. BINGARRA UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE Mr (Northern Tablelands—Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales)—I recognise the Bingara U3A, University of the Third Age, as an example of what a small community can achieve. President Linda McDouall chaired the Annual General Meeting and shared a very full report about their productive year in spite of the restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing the courses offered over last year's. A variety of courses from Pilates to Armchair Travel or Garden Tips to Wildlife First Aid contributes to U3A's popularity. Adding to its success is low-cost and free venues offered by the Northern Inland Community College, St Mary's, the Living Classroom, and the Gwydir Health Hub. I congratulate President Linda McDouall for her commitment to the U3A project which has had an enriching impact on the well-being of Bingara's senior citizens and to local presenters, Dimity McMurtrie who presented Armchair Travel, Ros Moulton who ran I am Calling you from Telstra and Bev Matthews with Line Dancing. I commend the volunteers who have contributed to U3A for their commitment to community and the relevance of their efforts. INVERELL MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB Mr ADAM MARSHALL (Northern Tablelands—Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales)—I recognise the Inverell Mountain Bike Club as a major sporting association in the Northern Tablelands and their determination to present their tenth "Copeton 6 Hour" mountain bike event in spite of the limitations that COVID presented this year. Publicity Officer Michelle Rees said that entries had doubled over last year's. The Northern Tablelands encourages sport and this family oriented event provides the setting for vigorous and fun competition. The organisational skills it took to accommodate competitors and visitors from all over the North West is an notable commitment. I congratulate fierce competitors Alwyn Miller with first place and Michael Sherwood for a close second. Brad and Jodi Newman took out first place in the mixed pairs category and Peter Horwood and Zac Sunderland won the male pairs category. I commend the Inverell Mountain Bike Club and the members associated with this year's successful "Copeton 6 Hour" event for their contribution to sport and healthy living. NARRANDERA HIGH SCHOOL Ms STEPH COOKE (Cootamundra)—Speaker, I wish to congratulate Narrandera High School who have recently been praised in a report handed down by an independent panel for excelling in areas of learning culture, wellbeing, data skills and use, learning and development as well as educational leadership and school resources. Once in a five year cycle the School undergoes an external validation of their school's self-assessment of progress by an independent panel made up of people from outside its own network. The panel made comment about the School's outstanding focus on building a positive learning culture, individualised leaning and intervention and having a clear culture of School improvement which was backed by significant improvements in student learning growth, increasing enrolments and quality teaching practice. Well done to Narrandera High School on achieving these outstanding results. Keep up the great work! HORNSBY KU-RING-GAI & HILLS DISTRICT CRICKET COACHES ASSOCIATION Mr MATT KEAN (Hornsby—Minister for Energy and Environment)—I would like to acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Coaches Association. The association, where I serve as a Patron, supports all the wonderful cricket coaches who work with teams in our local area. It was the dream of Mark Rushton, Bruce Wood and Mike Langford to set up a coaching centre of excellence that would help recruit junior coaches and support those already in the role. 10 years on and they have helped accredited over 100 coaches, organised 3 overseas trips, assisted in the annual Ross Turner Cup and Glenn Hourigan Cup and seen 2,840 children through their school holiday clinics. I would like to congratulate Life Members, President Bruce Wood and Head Coach Rod Hokin, who have held these positions for 10 years. Along with the current committee, many who have served for close to 10 years, Daniel Wood, Nick Miller, Life member Josh Miller and Denise Anderson, who also serves as Patron. I am joined as patron by the wonderful Tom Richmond; OAM and Mark Rushton who are also both life members and Ross Turner. Congratulations to the HK&HDCCA for your service to cricket and our community. CLARENCE VALLEY SPORTS AWARDS Mr CHRISTOPHER GULAPTIS (Clarence)—I rise to offer my congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Clarence Valley Sports Awards held on Saturday night at the Grafton District Services Club with host Mike Rabbitt. Congratulations to: Senior Sportsperson para athlete Mitch Christiansen; Masters Sports Award cyclist Laurelea Moss; Junior Male Sportsperson Hayden Ensbey for his achievements in cricket and rugby league; Junior Female Sportsperson and People's Choice Award Andrea Thomson for her achievements in swimming and Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4962

Physical Culture; Holly Butcher Memorial Volunteer of the Year Tim Ryan for his commitment to several Lower Clarence sporting groups and organisations; Club of the Year Harwood Cricket Club; Team of the Year the Grafton Tigers AFL Seniors; Coach of the Year was Campbell from the Grafton Tigers AFL Club; Ernie Muller Award for Contribution to Sport in the Lower Clarence went to Matt Farrell a sports administrator who gives his time to a number of sports in the Lower Clarence area; Max Godbee Award for Contribution to Sport went to Ken Maughan for almost 60 years with the Grafton Rowing Club; Sports Contributor of the Year was Don Freeman reporting on the Yamba Men's Bowling Club; Contributing Sports Photographer of the Year went to Gary Nichols. ORANGE TROUT ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY Mr PHILIP DONATO (Orange)—I wish to recognise the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society, which first formed as the Orange Fishing Club in 1930. In 1932 the club was renamed the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society, which accurately reflected their colonising of local waterways with trout fingerlings to support their ongoing traditions and sport of fly fishing. The Society have enjoyed a strong membership, attested by its 90 continuous years of meeting, which now involves a yearly camping trip on the Macquarie River, where the social aspect of the Society is celebrated. Many of the current members have been actively involved in the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society for several decades, and I wish to recognise Barry Darley, Glen Cumberland and Rodney Tonkin, each of whom have been members for 50 continuous years. Fly-casting skills have been fostered within the Society, and members Glen Cumberland and Kevin Laughton have each represented Australia at the World Fly-casting Championships. Fly-caster development remains important to the Society, and member Glen Cumberland is credited with exceptional instructional attributes, benefiting old and new members alike. The Society continue their traditions of acclimatisation, stocking trout, cod and yellowbelly in local waterways to support ecology and their traditional sport. Congratulations on your 90th anniversary. WORLD FISHERIES DAY Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland)—I wish to recognise the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society, which first formed as the Orange Fishing Club in 1930. In 1932 the club was renamed the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society, which accurately reflected their colonising of local waterways with trout fingerlings to support their ongoing traditions and sport of fly fishing. The Society have enjoyed a strong membership, attested by its 90 continuous years of meeting, which now involves a yearly camping trip on the Macquarie River, where the social aspect of the Society is celebrated. Many of the current members have been actively involved in the Orange Trout Acclimatisation Society for several decades, and I wish to recognise Barry Darley, Glen Cumberland and Rodney Tonkin, each of whom have been members for 50 continuous years. Fly-casting skills have been fostered within the Society, and members Glen Cumberland and Kevin Laughton have each represented Australia at the World Fly-casting Championships. Fly-caster development remains important to the Society, and member Glen Cumberland is credited with exceptional instructional attributes, benefiting old and new members alike. The Society continue their traditions of acclimatisation, stocking trout, cod and yellowbelly in local waterways to support ecology and their traditional sport. Congratulations on your 90th anniversary. TRANSPORT Mr (Camden)—The NSW 2020-21 budget will deliver almost $160 million in transport infrastructure for the Camden community as part of a wider $72.2 billion for public transport and roads spending. Over $54 million has been allocated to continue the construction of a multi-storey car park at Leppington Station to deliver up to 1,000 additional car park spaces. The upgrade of The Northern Road between Peter Brock Drive and Mersey Road will be undertaken thanks to an allocation of over $41 million. Close to $24 million has been allocated to complete the upgrade of Bringelly Road between King Street and The Northern Road whilst over $20 million will ensure that the upgrade of The Northern Road between Mersey Road and Eaton Road can be completed. Work on the Spring Farm Parkway Stage 1 upgrade will be accelerated whilst connectivity between Camden Bypass and the Spring Farm Parkway Stage 1 to provide access to the Hume Motorway and Menangle Road will be investigated with a further $2 million. These fantastic outcomes will completely transform the ways Camden residents move around our community. CAMDEN COUNCIL GARDEN COMPETITION 2020 Mr PETER SIDGREAVES (Camden)—The annual 2020 Camden Council Garden Competition recognises individuals and organisations within Camden who produce stunning garden displays which brighten up the area. This year was highly competitive but I am pleased to recognise the care and effort of Beryl Rofe who was named Grand Champion at this year's competition. Aside from taking out the top spot at the competition, Beryl's gardening endeavours also saw her place first in the Senior Citizen Garden category and the Large Residential garden category. It is a testament to the time and care she puts into her garden and I offer my congratulations on a wonderful win and a spectacular garden. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4963

BALMAIN ELECTORATE TEAM Mr JAMIE PARKER (Balmain)—Today, on the last day of NSW Parliament for 2020, I would like to acknowledge the community that supports and empowers my work in the Balmain Electorate. As the Member for Balmain, I am so grateful to have the support of residents, business owners and local organisations who are all behind our vision for a brighter future. This includes my caring, passionate, and hardworking electorate office staff: Eleanor Nurse, Ned Cutcher, Parissa Zand, David Lewis and Craig Channells. My thanks to them for their tireless work over this year. I would like to also recognise the dedicated local Greens members who shape my work, the 25,424 community members who have supported our petitions, submission guides, public meetings and community campaigns in 2020 as well as the 143 volunteers who have made every campaign possible. If I've learnt one thing it's that individuals don't change the world - communities do. It has been my great privilege to represent our community as a Greens Member of Parliament for the past 9 years and I look forward to continuing our work in the years to come. NATIONAL AG DAY Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland)—It was lovely to meet with President of the NSW Farmers, James Jackson and Kathy Rankin today on the eve of National Ag Day. This is an important opportunity to celebrate agriculture across NSW, particularly after the difficult years of drought, bushfires, floods, trade disruptions and COVID-19. But it is important to remember not just the resilience of the agriculture sector which pumps $16 billion into our economy each year in NSW, but COVID reminds us of the need to have a thriving agriculture industry in an international world. I hope that everyone will take the time to remember the hard work of our farmers and their families across the state, and ensure whenever they go to the supermarket, green grocers, or buy some clothes, that they remember to choose the fibre and food produced by some of the world's best! Thank you farmers! WINDGAP Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee)—On Monday 16 November, I had the pleasure of visiting the Windgap Foundation's Eastlakes site, where they host two of their fantastic day programs, and to meet their new acting CEO, Ms Joanne D'Arcy. The Windgap Foundation is a non for profit organisation that was started over 65 years ago to provide education to children with intellectual disabilities. They provide programs that support independence, empowerment, learning and development, and aim to raise community awareness as to the needs and aspirations of children with intellectual disabilities. This was the second time that I had visited Windgap, having visited their Head Office last year, and I each time I have been extremely impressed by the quality of their work. I would like to wish Joanne the best of luck in her new role as Acting CEO, and I would like to thank all of the staff at Windgap for their work, and their advocacy. WORLD PANCREATIC CANCER DAY Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee)—The 19th of November is World Pancreatic Cancer Day. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate among all major cancers. If you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Australia today, you have just a 9.8% chance of surviving. The best chemotherapy available only prolongs life by an average of 16 weeks. Last year, my father passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. We know that in the future, Pancreatic cancer doesn't need to be sentence in the future, and I wish to take this opportunity to thank all those working hard on both early diagnosis and a cure. I wish to acknowledge the amazing work of Associate Professor Phoebe Phillips who leads the Pancreatic Cancer Translational Research Group at UNSW Medicine. The work being done by Professor Phillips and her team is getting us closer to a treatment and hopefully a cure. I also want to acknowledge the fantastic work being done by Purple Our World to improve the terrible statistics around pancreatic cancer. This World Pancreatic Cancer Day, Purple Our World has two requests: that you wear some purple and learn the symptoms: Lower Back Pain; Stomach Pain; Yellowing of eyes and skin; Unexplained weight loss. JUNE KILLINGTON Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford)—I would like to recognise the fabulous local June Killington in the NSW Parliament. June is a powerhouse success story and a fantastic example of what a positive mindset can achieve in our community. As a Pacific Link resident in Woy Woy, June was frustrated looking at graffiti on the wall of a privately owned establishment opposite where she lives. Taking matters into her own hands she approached me to see if there was anything we could do. We sat together and brainstormed, invited people who had written to me expressing an interest in such a beautification and place making project, and June set to work! I congratulate June on her dogged commitment to track down the owners of the property and seek permission to paint a mural. Local professional artists are now on board - yay & thank you Ange and Naomi! We have quotes ready, links with other local organisations, a grant application is on the way and community fundraising has Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4964

started. Thanks so much June – keep the energy high and we are right beside you! And watch out Woy Woy this is going to be spectacular and there will be more to come! KILLARA STATION UPGRADE Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson)—The North Shore rail network is an important community asset for many of my constituents in Davidson electorate. I would like to acknowledge and thank the many local residents who signed a petition and completed a survey about accessibility upgrades for Roseville and Killara railway stations in 2018. Work on the Roseville station upgrade is currently underway, with the lift and other improvements soon to go into service. Residents are now delighted by the good news that the NSW Government has also approved an accessibility upgrade for Killara station. The residents previously surveyed, indicated concerns about the difficult access to Killara station for people with mobility problems and parents with prams. The details of the station upgrade are in the planning stage but are likely to include lifts to Culworth and Werona Avenues, family accessible and ambulant toilet facilities, 'Kiss & Ride' facilities, accessible parking spaces, CCTV and lighting improvements, as well as footpath upgrades. This is great news for patrons of Killara station and means all the stations in my Davidson electorate will now be properly accessible. WOLLONDILLY CONSTITUENTS Mr NATHANIEL SMITH (Wollondilly)—Today is the last official sitting day in the parliamentary calendar. Reflecting over the past twelve months my electorate of Wollondilly has endured drought, flood, bushfire and more recently, a pandemic. My electorate did not despair and did not give up. They have shown true resilience and each and every one of my constituents are worthy of recognition. In the New Year, I am sure that the community values that bounded us and keep us strong will continue to guide us on the road to success and prosperity. The announcements earlier this week by Treasurer Perrottet certainly fill me with optimism that we have the tools and support to achieve these outcomes. I wish everyone in my electorate of Wollondilly, my staff and my colleagues in this place, and the other one, a very happy and holy Christmas. Bring on 2021. CATARACT SCOUT PARK Mr NATHANIEL SMITH (Wollondilly)—I was delighted recently to have the opportunity to inspect the accommodation improvements underway at Cataract Scout Park, located near Appin, in my electorate of Wollondilly. Over the years the 163-hectare park has hosted four Australian Jamborees and the 16th World Jamboree in 1987-88. Its facilities are impressive and include camp sites, bunk accommodation, and activities such as water slides, ropes courses, hiking, orienteering and an obstacle course. I was particularly blown away by the 15,000-person open-air concert arena and was excited by its potential for the entire community. I understand that Scouts NSW has exciting new plans for the use of the site which are currently the subject of discussions with Minister Stokes and his department. I am very supportive of these plans which will better future-proof the site as a community asset. I am also impressed by the way Scouts NSW has reacted and adapted to the new COVID environment. I thank Jane Siebum, Brett Clarke, and Paul Sheppard for showing me around their wonderful community resource. Moreover, I would like to particularly thank 1st Appin Scout Group Leader Stephen Chapman who also joined us. Scouting simply would not be possible without the dedication of volunteers like Stephen. ST JOHN AMBULANCE BLACKTOWN CITY AWARDS Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect)—On 7th November 2020, the St John Ambulance Blacktown City Division held their annual Award Ceremony recognising the hard work and commitment of the adult and youth Cadet Divisions. I would like to congratulate the following individuals. Lorna Jenkins, Silver Medal of the Order for 12 years service, Kyla Young and Maria Camilleri, Bar to the Medal for 15 years service and Emily Hutchings and Anica Sampson for receiving the Grand Prior's Badge and the Cadet Shield Award. Further, I would like to congratulate, Tara Ewards for receiving the Award for 3 years service, David Lam, Award for 5 years service, Terry Short, Nick Minter, Nicole Slarke and Mahalakshmi Rathinavelu for receiving their First Responder Qualifications, and John Larson, Bill Bennett, David Lam and Rhys David for receiving the NSW Government Fire Citations and the St John Fires Certificate of Merit. It was great to take part in the celebrations and present the awards to the dedicated volunteers. I would particularly like to extend my thanks to Keith Avery, Superintendent, St John Ambulance Blacktown City Division and to our local cadets for all their hard work. THANK YOU VIC ALHADEFF Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect)—The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies represents over 55 Jewish community organisations and has served the Jewish community since its establishment in 1945. For the last 16 years, the organisation has been led by Vic Alhadeff, Chief Executive Officer who has worked tirelessly advancing the Jewish community's concerns and interests. Last week, Mr Alhadeff notified the community he would be stepping down as the CEO of NSW Jewish Board of Deputies in 2021. On 11th November, I joined my Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4965

NSW Labor Opposition colleagues, in honouring Mr Alhadeff's hard work and dedication to his community during a morning tea at Parliament House. Mr Alhadeff served as an editor at the Australian Jewish News, Chair of Multicultural NSW and as a spokesperson for the Keep NSW Safe Coalition. Throughout his career, Mr Alhadeff has continuously fought against racial and religious discrimination in our society whilst advocating for a more tolerant and accepting Australia. I thank Mr Alhadeff for his strong leadership and commitment to advancing Australian values. He will be greatly missed by our community. I sincerely wish Vic and Nadene Alhadeff all the best for the future. COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS FOR RFS CAPTAINS Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson)—I congratulate Andrew Wilson, Captain of the Killara Rural Fire Brigade, and Mark Stevenson, Captain of the Belrose Fire Brigade, for being nominated for NSW Government Community Service Awards. Mark Stevenson was elected Captain of the Belrose RFS in 2005. Over the 2019/2020 fire season, Mark helped to organise and participate in strike team deployments spanning the whole state, including the Blue Mountains and Taree. His 23 years of service have been characterised by an unswerving devotion to the RFS. Andrew Wilson joined the RFS in 2008 and took on the role of Captain for Killara in 2019. Andrew led the brigade through the last fire season, which saw members deployed from Queensland to the Victorian border. He was also crew leader on Killara 1, the first tanker on the scene at the Turramurra fires last year. I commend Mark, Andrew, and their crews in the Belrose and Killara Fire Brigades, for their tireless service to communities across NSW and will present the awards later this year. BRIAN HUTCHISON – 43 YEARS OF SERVICE FUNERAL INDUSTRY Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie)—I rise to congratulate an icon of the funeral industry, Brian Hutchison for a remarkable career spanning 43 years of service in the sector. Described as a compassionate and kind-hearted man by his clients, Brian has literally been the backbone for those bereaving of a loved one, over a milestone 43 years. During this time Brian has cared for over 16,000 families and was on call 24 hours a days, 7 days a week to support those through the difficult days of losing someone close. Brian was 27-years-old when he first commenced his career in the funeral industry after purchasing Wood & Wood Funeral Directors in Lithgow in 1977. Two years later Brian sold the business and journeyed with his family to the coastal community of Port Macquarie where he established Brian Hutchison-Hastings District Funeral & Cremation Services. In 2004, Brian received the prestigious Master Funeral Director award for his 20 years of service in all aspects of the industry. Twice a President of the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West, and twice a Paul Harris Fellow, Brian undoubtedly displays traits of "Service Above Self". Congratulations Brian and best wishes. ICAS RESULTS 2020 Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie)—Today I acknowledge the St Columba Anglican School students who competed in the International Competition and Assessment for Schools [ICAS] in the core subjects of English, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Digital Technologies. Coordinated by the University of New South Wales, the ICAS is an annual competition which recognises academic excellence through higher-order thinking and problem solving, open to students from Years 2 to 12. High Distinctions were Year 3 Mathematics Benjamin Acland, Year 3 English Kristen Hii and Year 4 Science Riley Hill. Distinction results were achieved by Year 2 Mathematics, English and Science Iris Cheng, Year 2 Mathematics and English Jaanavhi Saravanan, Year 3 Mathematics and Science Kristen Hii, Year 2 English Marlise Uljee, Year 3 Science Samuel Buttle, Year 3 Mathematics, Michael Kamel, Year 2 English Jesse Waba, Year 4 Mathematics and English Riley Hill, Year 3 Science and English Benjamin Acland, Year 3 Science Alexander Pollitt, Year 5 Mathematics and English Charlie Finnecy, Year 3 English Milton Finnecy, Year 5 Science and Mathematics Lucy King, Year 6 Science Nicholas Runge, Year 5 Mathematics Ryan Partridge, Year 5 English Seth Maggs, Year 6 English, Grace Bylsma, Year 6 English Rikin Gowda and Year 6 English Finneas Vicars. Congratulations. ROTARY CLUB OF GRANVILLE Ms JULIA FINN (Granville)—A huge congratulations to The Rotary Club of Granville on receiving the Rotary District 9675 Best Public Relation & Marketing award for the year 2019-2020. You have done an incredible job to deserve this award for a second time in the past 3 years. In particular I would like to recognise and congratulate Part-Presidents Tony Calear and Bharathi Rengarajan, and Secretary Renga Rajan of The Rotary Club for all the hard work they have put into the Rotary to date. Activities that the club participates in which makes a difference in our community includes their mentoring programs and professional development programs, fundraising for various crucial causes, community support and so much more. Each member of the team has been extremely dedicated and passionate to achieve the best outcomes for the club as well as the community as a whole. Together we can create a legacy that will continue to push our community in Granville forward. Congratulations once again! Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4966

HOLSWORTHY CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION Ms MELANIE GIBBONS (Holsworthy)—Mr Speaker, the 2020 Holsworthy Christmas Card competition came to a close at the beginning of the month. It is one of the highlights of my year – looking through the artwork of children who have put so much passion into drawings and paintings. After many wonderful and creative entries from students, right across the Holsworthy Electorate, I have been able to choose the design that will now be on my Christmas Card for this year. I would like to congratulate Joshua, who is a first grade student at Wattle Grove Public school, whose artwork was selected as the winner of my competition. His artwork featured Santa in some very traditional Australian clothing – board shorts and thongs. The thing I loved most about Joshua's artwork was the happiness and joy that it exudes – I know that it will bring cheer to the many people and organisations I send my Christmas card too. Mr Speaker, I would once again like to congratulate Joshua on winning my Christmas Card Competition and thank him for providing such an amazing piece of artwork. NOWRA-BOMADERRY JETS Mr GARETH WARD (Kiama—Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services)— I congratulate the mighty Nowra-Bomaderry Jets who recently defeated the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 19-16 in the South Coast Group Seven Rugby League Reserve Grade Grand Final at Centenary Field in Albion Park on Saturday 24th October 2020. Congratulations to the President of the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets Mark Berry, Captain of Reserve Grade Jack Atfield and Man of the Match Clyde Parsons. Rhys Fagerlund and Kurt Quinlan also had great games on the way to the Jets just holding on in the final three minutes to secure their maiden reserve grade Premiership in Group Seven. The Nowra-Bomaderry Jets are holding their 2020 Presentation Night on Saturday 28th November at the Bomaderry Bowling Club and it promises to be a terrific celebration with all players, partners and sponsors. Rugby League has a huge following across the Illawarra and South Coast. And a big congratulations to the mighty Jets! HIDDEN TREASURE MRS CHERYL PEARCE Mr GARETH WARD (Kiama—Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services)— I congratulate Cheryl Pearce of Kiama who has been recognised on the 2020 Rural Women's Hidden Treasures Honour Roll. Cheryl Pearce is very deserving to be included on this prestigious honour roll for her many years of involvement with Kiama CWA Day Branch. Cheryl has volunteered her time to organise the annual Rainbow Fashion Parade with the Country Women's Association, Kiama Day Branch. When the Kiama Day Branch of CWA was formed in 1938, it was the only branch between Wollongong and Nowra. Cheryl has served as President of CWA Kiama Day Branch for many years now and has been responsible for organising many events and activities which have benefited our local Kiama community. I am absolutely delighted to see that Cheryl's distinguished community service has been duly recognised and honoured. [Temporary Speaker (Mr Gurmesh Singh) left the chair pursuant to resolution at 20:34 on Thursday 19 November 2020.] ______

Friday 27 November 2020

[Continuation of sitting of Thursday 19 November 2020.]

[The bells having been rung, the House resumed at 14:00 with the Speaker in the chair.] The SPEAKER: Members, I note that we are resuming following the long bell, which means we are continuing the previous day's sitting of Parliament. Documents AUDITOR-GENERAL Reports The SPEAKER: In accordance with Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, I table the following reports of the Auditor-General: (1) Financial Audit Report entitled Internal controls and governance 2020, dated 24 November 2020. (2) Financial Audit Report entitled Education 2020, dated 26 November 2020. (3) Performance Audit Report entitled Waste levy and grants for waste infrastructure, dated 26 November 2020. I order that the reports be printed. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4967

Bills APPROPRIATION BILL 2020 PAYROLL BILL 2020 Returned The SPEAKER: I report receipt of messages from the Legislative Council returning the bills without amendment. APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL 2020 ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BILL 2020 Returned The SPEAKER: I report receipt of messages from the Legislative Council returning the bills with amendments. I order that consideration of the Legislative Council's amendments be set down as an order of the day for a later hour. Motions SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND SESSIONAL ORDERS Mr MARK SPEAKMAN: I move: That standing and sessional orders be suspended to permit a further 30 minutes of community recognition statements this day following the consideration of messages from the Legislative Council regarding government business. Motion agreed to. Bills APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL 2020 Consideration in Detail Consideration of the Legislative Council's amendments. Schedule of amendments referred to in message of 24 November 2020 No. 1 GRNS No. 1 [c2020-268B] Page 3, proposed Part 2, heading, line 1. Insert "and Independent Commission Against Corruption" after "Legislature". No. 2 GRNS No. 2 [c2020-268B] Page 3, proposed Part 2. Insert after the table after line 5— 4A Appropriation for services of Independent Commission Against Corruption This Act appropriates the sum of $7,300,000 to the Independent Commission Against Corruption out of the Consolidated Fund for the following services of the Independent Commission Against Corruption for the year 2020–21— (a) services relating to reporting to Parliament, (b) services relating to responding to demands from Parliament. No. 3 PHON No. 1 [69C] At end of page 5, insert new Part 5: 1. The NSW Treasurer shall consult with the presiding officers and party leaders (including a representative nominated by each of the Greens and the ) of the NSW Legislative Council to establish new annual budgets for the Legislative Council and the Department of Parliamentary Services for the year 2021-22 by 30 April 2021. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (Epping—Treasurer) (14:05:3): I move: That the Legislative Council amendments be disagreed with and that, pursuant to section 5A of the Constitution Act 1902, the bill, without the Legislative Council amendments, be forthwith presented to the Governor for assent. Mr : Point of order: Mr Speaker, my point of order is that that motion is out of order and should be ruled out of order by you. It is directly contrary to Standing Order 224, which is the standing order that sets out how upper House amendments are to be dealt with when they come to the Legislative Assembly. The Government is attempting to avoid the traditional way of dealing with Legislative Council amendments by relying upon section 5A of the State Constitution Act. If this bill fell within the parameters of section 5A, the motion Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4968

would be entirely unobjectionable. However, the reality is that it cannot be covered by section 5A. Section 5A applies to "any Bill appropriating revenue or moneys for the ordinary annual services of the Government". There are two problems with this motion. The first is that the bill is not about revenue for the Government. It is revenue for the Parliament. Unless someone has wiped out the doctrine of the separation of powers overnight, this bill cannot be caught by section 5A. In addition to that, the inclusion of the amendments means that it is no longer simply done on an annual basis. The amendments refer to a single one-off payment to the ICAC. That is not being done on an annual basis. On those two grounds the motion should be ruled out of order. Section 5A simply does not cover the bill in relation to which amendments are before the House. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: To the point of order: I respectfully disagree. By leave I table an opinion dated 7 March 1992 by the then Solicitor General, Keith Mason, QC, and an opinion dated 20 November 2020 by Solicitor General M. G. Sexton, SC. The SPEAKER: I am happy to hear further from the member for Liverpool. Mr Paul Lynch: Further to the point of order: I simply make the point that, however interesting the advice may be, it well and truly predates today's date and predates the bill that is before the House. It cannot possibly deal directly with the bill before the House because it predates the bill. The SPEAKER: Does any member wish to make further comments in relation to the point of order that has been taken or the points that have been made? Mr Mark Speakman: To the point of order: The 1992 opinion from Mr Mason deals with appropriations that relate to parliamentary expenditure and the Solicitor-General in 2020 expresses agreement with that opinion. The SPEAKER: I have read both opinions. While they have not been enunciated in the context of the Chamber, I am aware of their content. The issue in relation to section 5A raised by the member for Liverpool is one that is far from settled. The advices that I have seen do not support his opinion, but I acknowledge that the matter has not been settled and therefore I will leave it to the House to decide. In other words, I will not uphold the point of order. If the House wants to move in some form to the contrary, the House may do so; but, in the absence of that, I will allow the Treasurer to continue. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Last Tuesday I handed down the 2021 New South Wales budget. The budget reflects the Government's determination to keep the people of New South Wales safe from the threat of a global pandemic, to support those who have been most affected by the trials and tribulations of 2021, to stimulate our State's economic recovery and to set up New South Wales for a stronger future. For the past 12 months the Government has worked without pause to respond to the crisis before us. The Government has listened carefully to the people of New South Wales and responded accordingly. Some members of Parliament who are not on the Government benches have worked constructively with us; others have been less constructive. But government is formed in New South Wales by the party or parties with an elected majority in the Legislative Assembly. By virtue of the 2019 election, the people of the State elected the Liberals and The Nationals to govern. In the Westminster system one of the most fundamental functions of government is to determine how public funds will be appropriated to deliver public services for the people. That is the prerogative of the Government alone, not the Parliament at large, and it is enshrined in our State's Constitution, the Constitution Act 1902. The convention is sometimes referred to as the financial initiative of the Crown and it is given effect to by sections 5, 5A and 46 of the Constitution Act. For the purposes of the motion, section 5A of the Constitution Act provides that where the Legislative Council rejects, fails to pass, or returns with suggested amendments, which the Legislative Assembly does not agree to, any bill passed by the Legislative Assembly that is a bill for the appropriation of revenue or moneys for the ordinary annual services of the Government, the Legislative Assembly can direct that the bill be presented to the Governor with or without amendments. The Legislative Council has the power to suggest amendments; it does not have the power to amend the budget. The advice that I have tabled from the present Solicitor General, affirming the advice of a previous Solicitor General, confirms that the bill before the House is a bill of the kind referred to in section 5A. The Legislative Council has purported to amend the bill. The Government does not agree to any amendments and has no intention of weakening the integrity of the Westminster system in New South Wales by subjecting the will of the people to the whim of minority political parties in the other place. The Greens and One Nation do not write the budget; the Government does. In accordance with section 5A of the Constitution Act 1902, the Government will, therefore, present the bill to the Governor for royal assent without the Legislative Council's amendments. That course of action is appropriate, not only because it affirms the financial initiative of the Crown, which is embodied in section 46 of the Constitution Act, but also because the motion is appropriate because the attempted amendment to the bill by the Legislative Council is unlawful. Section 5 of the Constitution Act expressly states: Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4969

… all Bills for appropriating any part of the public revenue … shall originate in the Legislative Assembly. No such bill can originate in the other place and that includes any purported amendment originating in the Legislative Council for the appropriation of funds. The purported appropriation of $7.3 million is clearly an appropriation originating in the Legislative Council and is, therefore, unlawful. Mr Ryan Park: So you remember? Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Yes, and we disagree with the amendment. Furthermore, section 5A expressly provides a mechanism for the Legislative Council to suggest amendments, but to not make amendments to bills for the ordinary annual services of the Government, including the bills before the House. In summary, sections 5, 5A and 46 of the Constitution Act make it clear that the Legislative Council has absolutely no power to amend the bill and this House has no power to consent to the Legislative Council's unlawful amendments. This year's budget was delayed by five months because of the pandemic. The Appropriation Bill 2020 and the Payroll Tax Amendment Bill 2020 have passed both Houses and will be sent to the Governor for royal assent today. The Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020 has already passed the Legislative Assembly without the Legislative Council's proposed amendments. The upper House has an important place in the Constitution, including to suggest changes, but it does not have the power to amend the budget. The motion will enable the Government to get on with the job of delivering the services our people rely on at this critical time. I commend the motion to the House. Ms JODI McKAY (Strathfield) (14:14): I contribute to debate on the amendments to the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020. As members of the House know, the bill proposes an additional $7.3 million to be allocated to fund the Independent Commission Against Corruption [ICAC]. That is much-needed funding. It is a one-off funding to our most important integrity agency. From the very beginning, I am shocked and very concerned that the Premier and the Treasurer will reject that additional funding. In fact, the Premier is not even in the House today while members are debating such an important amendment to the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020. I am also incredibly shocked and concerned that the Government intends to bypass the Parliament and go straight to the Governor for assent on the budget. It is extraordinary and unprecedented. That is what the Government does. It is a Government cover-up, which it has done time and time again. Now the Government is ignoring the will of the upper House, which passed those amendments with significant support, and that is how the Parliament should work. Mr Dominic Perrottet: You don't write the budget. Ms JODI McKAY: No. That is how the Parliament should work. You need the concurrence of both Houses and now you are bypassing the will of the Parliament. The SPEAKER: Order! The Treasurer has had an opportunity to contribute to debate. Ms JODI McKAY: That goes against the will of the public interest in every single way. It goes against the clear community expectations that ICAC have the resources it needs to investigate every issue that is brought before it. Over the past 30 years we have seen many big changes in New South Wales, but the sustained policy of building up institutions to drive corruption out of our State's political culture and public life has been one of the biggest. At the beginning of the 1990s New South Wales came to a consensus on fighting corruption across the political divide. That consensus meant that our politicians, police, judiciary and public service had to be above reproach when it came to the question of corruption. That consensus led to the establishment of the ICAC and the Police Integrity Commission to investigate and root out corruption across our State. That consensus underpinned our State's entry into the modern era. It renewed public confidence in our democracy, government, the Police Force and legal system. It made our State a better place. That consensus, which was achieved painstakingly in the 1990s, must not be allowed to disintegrate. That is what the Government is doing today by refusing to debate the amendment, which seeks to increase the funding in a one-off capacity for the Independent Commission Against Corruption. We must champion the independence of those integrity agencies. That independence must be fiercely guarded, and it is the responsibility of the Parliament, both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, to do that. Those agencies must have the appropriate resources to shine a light in the dark places that exist in the State. The integrity of our democracy and our politics depends on that. The integrity agencies are our democracy's shield. The ICAC, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission [LECC], the NSW Electoral Commission and the NSW Ombudsman must be independent of the government of the day. But, as members know, those agencies are funded in exactly the same way as every other agency in government: directly by the government of the day, which approves or denies funding for those integrity agencies. In recent times the Auditor-General has found that the current approach threatens the independence of those integrity agencies because they have to go cap in hand to the Government when they need more resources Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4970

to do the work that we expect them to do. In the current model it is the only avenue for those agencies to seek additional funding. It is an unacceptable situation that the Premier and the Department of Premier and Cabinet, which might very well be the subject of an ICAC investigation, has the ability to say no to that increased funding. Members would be aware of the situation in New South Wales in which the Premier has appeared before the Independent Commission Against Corruption and also has the ability to say no to its funding. The Auditor-General recommended an independent funding model for our integrity agencies, including the ICAC, which has to address that very serious threat to its independence. The model is based on accountability, transparency and independence. It recognises the role of the Parliament, which the Government now seeks to circumvent. In the case of the ICAC, which has a mandate to investigate government corruption, including corrupt conduct of politicians, decisions about annual appropriations could be made by people who are involved or could be the subject of an ICAC investigation. That is what is of concern to those of us on this side of the House. The ICAC's corruption investigations are resource intensive because corruption is a secret activity and those people who engage in it have every interest in making sure they are not found out. In looking into the funding of our integrity agencies, the upper House Public Accountability Committee was advised that the ICAC's annual appropriations have been below the level of inflation for most of the 30 years since ICAC was established. If the ICAC's appropriation had kept pace with inflation, the commission's appropriation for 2019-20 would be at least $7.2 million more than what is currently provided. That is why Labor and the crossbench in the upper House supported funding an extra $7.3 million to the ICAC. We support this amendment to the Appropriation Bill because ICAC should have the funding it deserves. ICAC should have the funding to be able to do what is required of it because the community expects it, we expect it, and the Parliament should support it. The commission itself has said that it needs this money to do its work properly. It needs to be funded at arm's length from the government of the day because the commission is not guaranteed to get the resources it needs from government when it asks for it. Between the 2008-09 and 2019-20 financial years, the commission applied for increases and recurrent funding in seven of those 12 years. They were fully successful on only two of those occasions, and partly successful on only one occasion. The ICAC's applications were rejected on the other occasions. There are real consequences when governments reject the ICAC's request for additional funding: Corruption goes uninvestigated, a lack of resources places the ICAC in an untenable position of having to pick and choose what it investigates and what is before it, public money gets used for private purposes, public assets are appropriated for private gain, and public confidence in our democracy is left diminished. Our integrity agencies are the front line of defence against corruption in New South Wales. They must have the resources to investigate corruption whenever and wherever it arises. Many in this place know I have had my own experience with the ICAC. It was my own experience— Mr David Elliott: Another one pending. Ms JODI McKAY: Yeah. Many in this place know I have had my own experience with the ICAC. I will never forget the experience of facing the Independent Commission Against Corruption. It is not something I would wish on anyone. It cost me personally and professionally, but I do not regret what I did in exposing corruption within my own party and within the party of those opposite. I would do it again because this Government and Parliament must be beyond reproach. Corruption needs to be exposed. We need to shine a light into those dark places. The people who investigate it need the resources to be able to do that. I wish I could say that the cross-party consensus on fighting corruption in our State still holds. Under this Liberal-Nationals Government that consensus no longer exists. I wish I could say that the standards of integrity that we as members of this Parliament are meant to abide by in public life have become more rigorous as the years have gone by, but I cannot because those standards have been in sharp decline ever since this Government came to power. This is laid bare before the ICAC itself. The public now knows about the former member for Wagga Wagga Daryl Maguire and his improper use of his office to try to enrich himself. The public now knows that the Premier knew about Mr Maguire's business dealings with property developers and did nothing about it. She knew about his receipt of commissions and payments from property developers. She knew for many years and failed to disclose it to the Independent Commission Against Corruption. She failed to do what is legally required of her as a member of the Parliament. The public now knows— Mr Mark Speakman: Point of order: My point of order relates to Standing Order 73. The SPEAKER: I need further clarification in terms of your objection. Mr Mark Speakman: If imputations are going to be made about the Premier they should be done by way of substantive motion. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4971

The SPEAKER: I will be mindful in listening further, but I do not think Standing Order 73 is satisfied. I ask the Leader of the Opposition to be careful of that. Ms JODI McKAY: It is to be expected that those opposite would seek to shut me down when I mention the corruption inquiry that the Premier is involved in. This is important in the context of this amendment because it is about funding for the Independent Commission Against Corruption. It is highly relevant because the Premier is involved in an ICAC hearing and because the Premier is the person who says yes or no to funding the ICAC. The public now knows that Mr Maguire told the Premier openly about his receipt of commissions and payments and that the Premier congratulated him. They know that Mr Maguire was lobbying the Premier's office and the offices of other Ministers and MPs on behalf of property developers. None of this was reported to ICAC, so is it any surprise that when the Government allocates funding to ICAC it diminishes its ability to conduct its inquiries? This is the standard of integrity that the Premier has herself set. If this is the standard which exists at the top of the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government and in the Office of the Premier, imagine how bad things are elsewhere. Mr Mark Speakman: Point of order: The Leader of the Opposition is contravening Standing Order 73. It is a personal reflection on the Premier and it is disorderly. The SPEAKER: I am regarding the comments made to date as not breaching Standing Order 73 but they are coming close. When talking about government in a general sense and the Premier heading a government there is more leeway than attacking an individual person. I am giving the Leader of the Opposition some leeway, perhaps, but I am listening intently. Ms JODI McKAY: This is obviously about using up my time to respond to the amendments to the bill. I could go on and on about the involvement of these MPs in corrupt activity, but if the Parliament only needs one reason— Mr Mark Speakman: Point of order: That is outrageous. The SPEAKER: I will uphold the point of order— Mr Mark Speakman: It is outrageous to have the Leader of the Opposition wagging her finger at members on the Government bench, saying that they are involved in corruption. The Opposition leader should withdraw that comment. That is a disgrace. The SPEAKER: Are you taking a point of order under Standing Order 73 or is it a request that the words be withdrawn? Mr Mark Speakman: Both. The SPEAKER: The comment is out of order under Standing Order 73, and the Leader of the Opposition has been asked to withdraw it. Ms JODI McKAY: I will not withdraw it. The SPEAKER: I cannot force the member to withdraw. She should be careful of what she says. Ms JODI McKAY: The message from the other place is a sensible one. It comes with the support of 24 Legislative Council members and only the Liberals and The Nationals voted against it. The ICAC reports to the Parliament, and the Parliament has a right to consider its budget. This is an unusual step but an important step, because clearly there is work to do for the Independent Commission Against Corruption. For the Premier to cut additional funding presents a major issue and a conflict of interest. At this time there are investigations into Daryl Maguire, , the grants allocation and the Camellia land deal and what does the Government do? It goes against the will of the other House to shut down an amendment to the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill to support and resource the Independent Commission Against Corruption. I am worried that the Liberal-Nationals Government is taking us back to the bad old days before we had cross-party consensus on fighting corruption. It cannot be allowed to happen and the ICAC is our shield against it. It must have the resources it needs to protect our democracy and our public institutions. Its funding must be at arm's length from government to ensure its independence. The decision made by the Government is disgraceful. It goes against the will of the upper House and sets a dangerous precedent. [Time expired.] The SPEAKER: I clarify that the Treasurer and the Leader of the Opposition have unlimited amounts of speaking time in 15-minute lots. Other members have a maximum of three lots of five minutes. I call the member for Balmain. Mr JAMIE PARKER (Balmain) (14:29): I appreciate the opportunity to address the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020. First of all, I acknowledge the work of all those in the upper House, including Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4972

Mr David Shoebridge, who proposed the amendments to ensure that ICAC is funded adequately. It is incredibly disappointing that, despite all the reports and correspondence from ICAC and the resolution of the parliamentary ICAC committee, we have not seen it receive funding that is independent of the Executive and nor have we seen its funding even match the level of inflation. It is important to note that, while the Government is hiding behind a whole gang of lawyers and legal advice, it could make the decision right now to give ICAC the funding that it has indicated is so important. It is important for the Government, because the Government has had a challenging time. It is remarkable that in the past week the Premier has said that pork-barrelling of $250 million of public money is okay. It is extraordinary that this week the Premier has breached the Government's own COVID-19 self-isolation rules. Pages of shredded documents have now been revealed. A problem is emerging within the Government. It can take a positive, proactive step and cut out any disputation around the matter of ICAC. How can it do that? It can simply listen to the issues that the chief commissioner and the ICAC have raised many times in submissions and meetings with the parliamentary ICAC committee. I draw the House's attention to the evidence that was provided to the Legislative Council in the parliamentary inquiry conducted by the Public Accountability Committee. Obviously, members can read the two submissions that ICAC made, one of which the members of that committee have seen and reviewed in great detail. They highlight the concerns that ICAC has around its funding. I go specifically to the committee's report, which states: The ICAC's evidence to the committee suggested that corruption investigations are resource‑ intensive, given that corruption is a secret activity and that the perpetrators have every interest in obstructing detection. Further, the Chief Commissioner told the committee that: 'New and sophisticated forms of corruption have emerged over the past decade or so and left unchecked, it will continue to spread'. Nevertheless, despite the resource‑ intensive nature of the ICAC's investigatory role, the committee was advised that ICAC's annual appropriations have been below the level of inflation for most of the 30 years since ICAC was established. The ICAC has calculated that if appropriation funding had kept pace with inflation, the Commission's appropriation for 2019‑ 20 would be at least $7.2 million more than is currently being provided. There are tens of billions of dollars in the State budget, yet the Government cannot find $7.2 million to ensure that the ICAC's funding keeps pace with inflation. That is too hard and too difficult. But other money can be spent, like the $250 million that the Premier admitted was basically pork-barrelling. We can spend that but not find $7.2 million for the ICAC. That is very disappointing. Even if the Treasurer and the legal opinion are right, I believe he should accept the suggestion from the upper House and amend this bill to include this funding. That would resolve the issues around the ICAC in terms of its funding level. The next important step about the independence of ICAC and its funding being at arms-length from the Executive is critical. The chief commissioner again stated in the committee's report that ICAC's appropriations over many years have been: … insufficient for the Commission as an independent agency to undertake the work under its statutory charter in a given year. The ICAC is calling for support from the Parliament, which is deaf to those requests. That is why I acknowledge the work of the upper House and of members in this Parliament to work together collaboratively in areas where, quite frankly, we generally do not in order to make sure we can fund the ICAC. I acknowledge all those in the community who say that, if the ICAC needs more money, it should have every single cent it requires to fight corruption effectively. I understand the Government believes the amendments should not go forward. We have a solution to amend the bill to give ICAC the adequate funding that is required. We want to make sure that ICAC stands as a strong anti-corruption fighter. This is another important step to guarantee not only adequate funding for ICAC but also, critically, funding that is independent of the Executive so we do not have these problems in the future and we can ensure ICAC has every single cent it needs. Mr PAUL LYNCH (Liverpool) (14:34): I support the Legislative Council amendments. As a preliminary point, I note that the Treasurer had some fun claiming that the upper House amendments were illegal because of section 5 of the State Constitution Act. That section does not bear that interpretation. It says that bills for appropriation must start in this place. That happened with the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020, the amendments to which we are currently debating. Certainly on the face of the section as one reads it, it does not prohibit making amendments. I also note as a preliminary point that the substantive legal advice upon which the Government relies is many years old and clearly cannot take into account precisely what is before the House now. The second advice is a two-pager. The member for Heffron pointed it out to me. That is slightly brief for matters of such complexity and significance. Having said that, these amendments restore to ICAC the funding it would have received if the original budget had been increased in line with the consumer price index. It is a catch-up. It puts ICAC where it should have been. It does not deal with issues of complexity in current corruption or recurrent funding. It simply puts it back to where it should be. There is no serious dispute that funding for ICAC is adequate. It is laughable to suggest that it is. At the opening of the inquiry into Operation Keppel, it was conceded that the person of interest's Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4973

misdemeanours—and, arguably, crimes—could not be investigated properly. The inquiry dealt with only a small part of what Daryl Maguire had done. It did not have the resources to investigate the rest. Operation Dasha still has not produced a report. Sidoti's matter has been hanging around forever. These are signs of a lack of resources and money going to the ICAC. Its requests for an increase in recurrent funding have been continually rejected from the 2008-09 to 2019-20 financial years. This has been talked about at some length. In those 12 annual budget cycles there were seven requests for recurrent funding. Only two were fully successful. Four were rejected and one was only partially successful. The interesting thing about the amendments moved by the upper House is that they were moved by a member of The Greens, supported by the Christian Democratic Party, the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, One Nation and everybody else. Everybody in that Chamber supported it and thought it was a good idea except for the Government. The Government's fear is that, if the ICAC does its work, it will not be the Government. That is what is motivating the Government's position on ICAC. If the funding had been provided, there would be less need for supplementation. ICAC going to the Government and asking for extra money in between budget cycles has to be entirely wrong in principle. Nothing is appropriate about that and it is entirely the wrong way to do things. If the money referred to in the amendments had been paid, we would have avoided some of that. I am happy to concede that moving amendments to legislation is not an ideal way to get more money for ICAC. But there is no other option. This Government has had before it for some time the absolute need for a new funding model for ICAC. It was raised by the ICAC inspector in his 2018-19 annual report and by ICAC a number of times. Its own parliamentary committee recommended it, as did special reports under section 75 earlier this year. Because the Government has done nothing about the need for a new independent model to fund ICAC, we get amendments like this. The price that it pays for its indolence and its lack of interest in getting a proper funding model is amendments like this, supported by everyone in the upper House bar the Government. It is interesting that the mover of the amendments in the upper House talked about ICAC and other investigative agencies being a fourth arm of our governance structure. I do not think you can go that far, but John Keane talked about monitory democracy, where things are monitored to a much greater degree than they ever were before. I think that is not a bad description of where contemporary Western societies are at. But that cannot work unless those monitoring agencies are funded properly. It is absolutely clear that ICAC has not been properly funded. The amendments before the House are an attempt to try to fix that because the Government will not do it—because it will not get its own funding all sorted out. That is why we come to a position where amendments like this are carried. Frankly, members cannot underestimate the malice that this Government has towards ICAC. When Megan Latham investigated some of its MPs the response of this lot was very simple: It sacked her. Constructive dismissal, defenestration—they threw her out the window because she had the temerity to do her job. That is what really motivates this Government. That is why they hate ICAC. That is why they will not fund it properly. [Time expired.] Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie) (14:39): I, too, wish to speak in support of the Legislative Council amendments to the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020. In so doing, I advise the House that I have communicated with my Independent colleagues, the member for Sydney and the member for Wagga Wagga, and they concur with the position that I take here today. It is a shame that members are here today dealing with an amendment to the Appropriations (Parliament) Bill 2020 that would seek a one-off adjustment to the funding of the ICAC that would bring it into line, according to the ICAC, with where it should be based on CPI adjustments over the years. The reality is that we should have addressed this before with the very necessary systemic change that would have reset the bar on the funding for the four integrity agencies and provided a proper mechanism for an arm's-length allocation of funding, away from the elected body and particularly from the Government. Of course, there was a review of this funding arrangement by the Auditor-General of New South Wales, which was triggered by the Hon. Don Harwin when he wrote and requested that in November 2019. That report, which I have discussed with the Auditor-General in my role as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, made a number of recommendations that I believe are very sensible, but it did not come up with a prescription for the Government. It raised the issue and showed where there were deficiencies in the current model—ones that I think undermine the credibility of the funding arrangements for those integrity agencies. I believe the most important line was very early in the report, which states: The current approach to determining annual funding for the integrity agencies presents threats to their independent status. It is an unacceptable position for the Government to not address that in the most sincere way, in not only a bipartisan but multi-partisan way. We need to address it. I believe that one sentence succinctly sets the challenge for the Government to address what should have been the situation for funding such organisations as part of their establishment. The previous sentence came from a letter that I drafted and which was sent under the letterhead of the three Independent members to the Premier of New South Wales on 21 October, the day after that report was Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4974

handed down. I do not intend to cast any aspersions on the intentions of the Government or the Premier. The Premier has actually spoken to me about this and her intention to address this early next year. I believe that is absolutely imperative. These amendments from the upper House are clearly going to fail here in this Chamber today, no matter the depth of righteous arguments that might come forward from members on this side of the Chamber today who support them. But I say to the Government that the most important thing is to address this. It is not just about the operation per se; it is about the perception. The public of New South Wales needs to have belief in the integrity of the process of the integrity agencies, particularly the Independent Commission Against Corruption. On that basis, I intend to support the Legislative Council amendment by Mr David Shoebridge. However, in my view it is not the appropriate way of addressing this. We need to go back to the start, redraw the line of the funding of these integrity agencies and set an independent process away from the direct remit or authority of the Executive Government. Mr RON HOENIG (Heffron) (14:44): The amendments from the Legislative Council raise two very fundamental and significant issues that are effectively being buried. The first relates to the doctrine of separation of powers, or the separation between the Legislature and the Executive Government, and the function of the parliamentary appropriations bill. The second relates to whether we do in fact have statutory independence in this State, or whether it is in name only and just a plaything of the government of the day. In relation to the separation of powers, if members are to follow the mode of reasoning from Speaker Guildesborough in 1380—and without being offensive, Mr Speaker, I wish we had Speakers of that quality in the New South Wales legislatures—then the funding of Parliament— The SPEAKER: I do take that as exceptional and I ask you to withdraw it. Mr RON HOENIG: I withdraw it. I did not intend it to be so. The days in which the Crown—or, these days, the Executive Government—was accountable to the Parliament for its expenditure and for the Parliament to control its own expenditure to ensure the Executive is accountable are long gone in New South Wales. The parliamentary appropriations bills are buried with the budget bills and have been for decades. For the Government of the day to produce a legal advice of two pages from the Solicitor General on what is going to be a deadlock between the Houses on a significant constitutional issue and the interpretation of section 5A of the Constitution—a two-page advice from Michael Sexton quoting Keith Mason, whose advice is predicated upon evidence about the Executive Government's responsibility for the maintenance of the physical staffing needs of the Legislature—those days are long gone. The Executive Government is not responsible for the staffing of the Legislature. The entire issue is based upon a wrong premise. I would have thought that there would have been at least some fundamental legal precedent or some detailed advice presented to this House about whether or not the other place can, in fact, amend the parliamentary appropriations bill. I maintain that it certainly can, because it is not part of the annual ordinary services of government. In terms of the funding of the integrity agencies, or the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the reality of the situation is that these organisations are in name only. They are well and truly controlled by Ministers being able to starve them for funds. ICAC did something unusual—not for it, but for a statutory authority— in going public about its lack of funding. The response from the Government of the day was to send in the Auditor-General of New South Wales to have a look at it. It added in all the integrity agencies so that it did not seem to be vindictive to ICAC. Surprisingly, the report of the Auditor-General came back indicating that these integrity organisations were well and truly accountable for public funds. In fact, most statutory organisations would be delighted to receive a report from the Auditor-General that the integrity agencies actually receive. The Auditor-General made recommendations that these organisations have some measure of independence. I have got to say that the Auditor-General's recommendations were not so far-reaching; they were effectively trying to provide a mechanism for these organisations and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to be accountable to the Parliament through the parliamentary oversight committee, in which they are intended to be. The reality is that if you allow these integrity agencies and these statutory independent bodies to be subject to direct day-to-day funding by Ministers of the day then you do not have independence. That is virtually direct control through the allocation of funding. The member for Liverpool is right: There are problems with the way in which the funds are allocated in the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020, but a strong message is being sent to the House that the Treasurer must do something about funding of the integrity agencies. Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (14:49): I support the Legislative Council amendments to the Appropriation (Parliament) Bill 2020 and express genuine concern about the way that they are being handled. I echo and support the comments by the member for Balmain, who, members know, has been closely watching the way that the ICAC works. He has watched as more and more members on both sides of this House have found themselves before the Independent Commission Against Corruption. It is important to realise that what occurred in the upper House is not some last-minute stunt in the week before the end of the parliamentary sitting year; it Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4975

has been a long-term request to the Government and the Premier to provide ICAC with the level of funding necessary to provide oversight. The amendment was brought by my The Greens colleagues in the other place because of the failure of the Government, and indeed of the Treasurer and the Premier, to provide the funding that had been requested on multiple occasions. It is not a surprise. In the context of the amendments that we are dealing with here, it is important for us to remember that former Government members are currently under investigation by ICAC. We have heard just this week that the idea of public accountability for spending of public funds has gone out the window, with the Premier basically staring down questions about decisions around some of those grants and saying that she thinks that it is completely okay to engage in pork-barrelling. Mr Jamie Parker: It is not illegal. Ms JENNY LEONG: Exactly. It is not illegal so it is fine to do. We hear the level of arrogance of this Government. We just heard it from the New South Wales Treasurer in response to the member for Liverpool. We heard him say, "Well, it's our budget". That is the level of arrogance in this place. I have a message for the Treasurer from the people of New South Wales: It is not actually his budget. Mr Dominic Perrottet: It's the Government's budget. It is not the crossbench's. Ms JENNY LEONG: It is actually the budget of the people of New South Wales. Mr Dominic Perrottet: We write the budget. Ms JENNY LEONG: It is the people of New South Wales who elected you, me, the member for Balmain and the member for Liverpool. The SPEAKER: Order! The Treasurer will remain silent. The member for Newtown will direct her comments through the Chair. Ms JENNY LEONG: It is the budget of the people of New South Wales. It is arrogant of the Liberals and The Nationals to have the Treasurer heckle the member for Liverpool by saying that it is their budget. It is not. It is the Treasurer's responsibility to hand down a budget for the people of New South Wales and they are saying he is not delivering in their interests. The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will have the opportunity to speak further. Ms JENNY LEONG: There is a clear reason why they are saying that: The Premier said in the past 24 or 48 hours that she is delivering things to win elections and allocates funds on the basis of where her seats are. That is a disgrace. The Elders sitting in public housing in Redfern are now being told by the Premier and this Government that they will not deliver because they did not vote for a Liberal Premier. Mr Mark Speakman: Point of order: my point of order relates to relevance. This has nothing to do with the debate on the amendments that the Legislative Council has sent down. The SPEAKER: I am happy to hear further from the member for Newtown at this stage. Ms JENNY LEONG: The only way that the people of New South Wales can ensure that the Premier and the Treasurer act in their interests is by having oversight bodies like the ICAC. The Independent Commission Against Corruption ensures that those allocating money do their jobs and act in the interests of the people rather than running side hustles out of their office, as we have seen from former Government members in recent times. They must deliver for the people. That is not happening at the moment if the Premier is willing to publicly admit that she is okay with the idea of the Government pork-barrelling. Today the Government is rejecting the $7.3 million that the Independent Commission Against Corruption needs to do its work. The only way to ensure that the Government does not go bad and do things wrong is by ensuring that corruption does not infect our democracy. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is the oversight body to do that. Our democracy is corrupted if we do not allow that body to do its work and fund it well. It is a shame on the Treasurer and the Premier for not supporting the amendments. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (Epping—Treasurer) (14:54): In reply: I will address some concerns that have been raised and the incorrect statements that have been made by those opposite. The Leader of the Opposition was talking about the use of part 5A of the Constitution Act being unprecedented. It is not unprecedented. It was used by the Labor Government in 1996. Secondly, this is clearly a stunt. The Labor amendment deals with only ICAC. However, the Auditor-General's report goes to four integrity agencies: the ICAC, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission [LECC], the Electoral Commission and the Ombudsman. Mr Jamie Parker: You can fund them too. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4976

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: Those opposite did not move that. If that was intended to be more than a stunt, they would have proposed a broad amendment, but they have not. The Premier has said very clearly that the Government has an open mind about a new funding model for integrity agencies. We have also committed to having a Government position on the Auditor-General's report in 2021. Despite all the commentary about funding for the ICAC, I have been advised by the Treasury that in the preparation of the budget the Government provided it with the funding that had been requested. It is not for the upper House or the Opposition to play games with the budget, and that is exactly what they have done. They have no power in the upper House, through the crossbench and the Opposition, to make amendments to the budget. They have never had the power and thank goodness they do not have the power. They cannot make amendments and they should learn their place. The SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to. The House divided. Ayes ...... 20 Noes ...... 14 Majority ...... 6

AYES Conolly, K Henskens, A Sidgreaves, P Coure, M Johnsen, M Speakman, M Crouch, A (teller) Kean, M Stokes, R Davies, T Lee, G Taylor, M Elliott, D Perrottet, D Upton, G Gibbons, M (teller) Preston, R Wilson, F Griffin, J Provest, G

NOES Aitchison, J Lynch, P Piper, G Butler, R McDermott, H Scully, P Chanthivong, A Mehan, D (teller) Smith, T Hoenig, R O'Neill, M (teller) Voltz, L Leong, J Parker, J

PAIRS Anderson, K Atalla, E Ayres, S Bali, S Barilaro, J Barr, C Berejiklian, G Car, P Bromhead, S Catley, Y Clancy, J McKay, J Constance, A Cotsis, S Cooke, S Crakanthorp, T Dominello, V Dib, J Evans, L Doyle, T Gulaptis, C Finn, J Hancock, S Harris, D Hazzard, B Harrison, J Lindsay, W Daley, M Marshall, A Haylen, J Pavey, M Hornery, S Petinos, E Kamper, S Roberts, A Lalich, N Saunders, D Mihailuk, T Sidoti, J Minns, C Singh, G Park, R Smith, N Saffin, J Toole, P Tesch, L Tuckerman, W Warren, G Ward, G Washington, K Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4977

PAIRS Williams, L Watson, A Williams, R Zangari, G

Motion agreed to. Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET: I move: That a message be sent to the Legislative Council informing it that Legislative Assembly disagrees with the amendments and further that pursuant to section 5A of the Constitution Act 1902 proposes to forthwith present the bill together with the Appropriation Bill and cognate Payroll Tax Amendment Bill to her Excellency for assent. Motion agreed to. ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BILL 2020 Consideration in Detail Consideration of the Legislative Council's amendments. Schedule of amendment referred to in message of 25 November 2020. No. 1 GRNS No. 2 [c2020-260G] Page 2, clause 3. Insert after line 23— (1A) The following objects also apply to Parts 4–6— (a) to increase employment and income opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in New South Wales, and (b) to promote consultation and negotiation with the traditional Aboriginal owners of land on which generation, storage and network infrastructure is proposed to be constructed or operated under this Act. No. 2 GRNS No. 1 [c2020-263E] Page 2. Insert after line 25— 3A Consultation and negotiation with local Aboriginal communities (1) The Minister is to issue guidelines about consultation and negotiation with the local Aboriginal community in relation to relevant projects for the purposes of increasing employment and income opportunities for the local Aboriginal community. (2) The Minister is to take the guidelines into account when exercising the Minister's functions under Part 5, Division 2. (3) To give effect to the guidelines, the Minister may impose a condition on a direction under section 31 or an authorisation under section 35(2). (4) The consumer trustee is to take the guidelines into account when exercising the consumer trustee's functions under Part 6, Divisions 3 and 4. (5) To give effect to the guidelines, the consumer trustee may— (a) include, in a recommendation to the Minister under section 30(1)(a), a recommendation that a condition be imposed on the Minister's direction, and (b) impose a condition on an authorisation under section 30(1)(b). (6) The guidelines are to be published on the Department's website. (7) In this section— local Aboriginal community includes— (a) an Aboriginal person who has native title rights and interests, within the meaning of the Native Title Act 1993 of the Commonwealth, in relation to the land to which the relevant project relates, and (b) the Local Aboriginal Land Council for the area to which the relevant project relates, and (c) other Aboriginal persons prescribed by the regulations. relevant project means— (a) a REZ network infrastructure project or priority transmission infrastructure project, and (b) an infrastructure project to which an LTES agreement applies. Mr MATT KEAN (Hornsby—Minister for Energy and Environment) (15:04): I move: Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4978

That the Legislative Council's amendments be agreed to. I am proud to be speaking to this historic bill. I note that two amendments from The Greens were agreed to by the Legislative Council. The first amends the objects of the bill to include an object aimed at increasing employment and income opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in New South Wales and promoting consultation and negotiation with local Aboriginal communities. The second requires the Minister as part of consulting and negotiating with Aboriginal communities to publish guidelines that provide a framework for this consultation and negotiation. These amendments are an appropriate way to ensure the infrastructure that will be developed under this bill is done so in a manner that will respect our First Nations people. They improve a bill that will deliver major benefits to the State, such as jobs in the bush and clean, affordable and reliable electricity for the people of New South Wales. I commend the amendments to the House. Mr PAUL SCULLY (Wollongong) (15:05): I indicate that Labor supports the amendments agreed to in the other place. The bill has been vastly improved since its introduction a little over a week ago. Most of the improvement was done in this Chamber, despite the many hours of consideration of the bill in the other place. The amendments that have been proposed and passed there are welcome additions to it. Labor sought by amendments to make the bill better than it was. We wanted legislative requirements with respect to procurement because we wanted to make sure that we squeeze every possible job out of changing our energy generation mix. We wanted to see those who will bear the brunt of this change in our coalmining communities supported because we do not want any community left behind. We want the Illawarra, the Hunter and the Central Coast to be supported because we do not want them left behind. But, more importantly, we want them to share in the possible jobs dividend of this legislation in the future. The substance of the amendments was not in the original bill. However, thanks to the good work across the political divide on this, most parties came together to improve the bill. Labor does not believe that it is enough for New South Wales to simply aspire to be a renewable energy superpower; Labor wants New South Wales to be a jobs superpower as well. We believe that the amendments seek to achieve that. Quite literally, the amendments put steel in the backbone of this legislation. Labor did not think it was sufficient to assert that there would be procurement mandates by way of media release. We wanted a legal basis for them to be implemented. I can report, and as the Minister knows, already in the Illawarra there have been discussions between the labour movement—the impacted unions—BlueScope and the business community, academics from the university and high school students about how to maximise the benefits from the bill. Through Recharge Illawarra—and I thank Arthur Rorris for his efforts in bringing that together in conjunction with Mr David Shoebridge in the Legislative Council and me—we are readying ourselves for the opportunity. The Labor Opposition will be carefully watching the implementation of this bill. We have agreed to a number of things but that does not mean that we will not be watching like hawks the progress and how the provisions of this bill are implemented. We want to see steel and other procurement provisions delivered on time and in full. We want to see jobs supported and created on time and in full. We want to see the much-promised cuts to electricity bills delivered on time and in full—unlike the last lot of promises of the Government to decrease electricity bills that actually led to bill increases for households. In acknowledging the multi-partisan effort that has made the bill a better bill than it was originally, I particularly acknowledge the work of my colleague the shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy in the other place, the Hon. Adam Searle, as well as Labor Legislative Council members who participated day and night to get the bill to this point. I acknowledge the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Yasmin Catley, and my colleagues in the Legislative Assembly for working through a series of amendments to make the bill better than what it was. I acknowledge the energy Minister and his staff for the way they approached that effort as well. It was important, as Labor set out to do at the beginning, to end the central division in what has become known as the energy wars, which have lasted for more than a decade in New South Wales, even though that cannot be addressed nationally. We have done that to a large extent, but Opposition members will watch incredibly closely how that is done because Labor does not want to see any community left behind. We want to squeeze every possible job out of that generation revolution, along with the associated jobs up and down the supply chain, long into the future. I commend the amendments to the House. Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (15:10): The Greens support the amendments to the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Bill 2020. I acknowledge that my Greens colleague the member for Ballina is in the Chamber. I will address the amendment from the Legislative Council that inserts into the legislation the requirement for consultation and negotiation with local Aboriginal communities. It is crucial to recognise that very often we look at vast parts of land in this State as empty land; that is, land on which big renewable energy projects could be built. It is important to remember that it is not actually empty land; it is Aboriginal land. It is absolutely crucial that we recognise the ownership of that land. There must be respect for country. Members must recognise that any projects or work that is happening in that space must be done in consultation and negotiation Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4979

with local Aboriginal communities. I acknowledge my Greens colleague Mr David Shoebridge in the other place for moving that amendment and for the consultation that he undertook with the Blak Greens and other Aboriginal communities across the State to ensure that the amendment was put through. I acknowledge the willingness of the energy Minister to collaborate with members of the Labor Party, The Greens and other crossbench members to ensure that all members could support that massive shift. It was a massive shift to put aside the divisive politics around climate action, coal and renewables and instead identify the ways in which we all must act. There is strong support in the Parliament and in this place for all members to act. There is an overwhelming cry from the community to get on with the job of acting on this. I credit the Minister for that. I also put on record and commend the constructive work of and collaboration between the Liberal Nationals Government, the Labor Party, The Greens and the Independents. Personally, it means a lot to see a scenario where the divisive and dangerous views of One Nation have been sidelined in this Parliament. One Nation is only given power in this place if members choose not to work collaboratively. Members should all agree—even John Howard and I agreed on it once upon a time—that One Nation should be put last and should have no place in our democratic system with its racist and divisive views. It is wonderful to see that piece of legislation go through Parliament. I pay credit to the members of the Government, the Opposition, The Greens and the crossbench who have been willing to collaborate and work together to sideline what was a very dangerous and toxic contribution from One Nation. We heard the death throes in the other place. They went on for hours and hours. That was someone suffering from true relevance deprivation disorder. If that is what is required, then all solidarity and support to our upper House colleagues. But members must put up with that to deliver good, collaborative work. Members must not cave into racist parties like One Nation. It is a good win for the climate, it is a good win for society and it is a good win for our community. It is important to remember that there is no environmental justice without racial justice. The Greens amendment that requires consultation with Aboriginal communities delivers on that, as does the sidelining of One Nation in the upper House. I congratulate everyone involved. Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (15:14): I welcome what the bill means for my community on the Central Coast. The Parliament has shown what it can do when it adopts a bipartisan approach to an issue that has bedevilled the country for the past score years. Today members have shown that we can chart a path to renewable energy in a bipartisan manner. The Minister must be given all credit for achieving that. He would not have done it without members of the Opposition. I acknowledge the work of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Yasmin Catley, and the member for Wollongong, for the amendments to the bill that they brought on behalf of Labor. I will briefly touch on the bill and what it means for my constituents on the Central Coast. The renewable energies board will now have trade union representatives. Under section 9 of the bill the renewable energies board will establish a jobs advocate. The jobs advocate will report, advise and encourage workforce development, employment, education and training in the energy sector in a number of areas, including the Central Coast of New South Wales. The bill that leaves this House is different from the bill that was presented to the House. It now establishes a renewable energy zone in the Hunter and Central Coast. A message has been sent to my constituents and to all of the people on the Central Coast to say that the bipartisan bill, with amendments from the Labor Opposition, will provide job security for the workforce of the Central Coast. They will have a part in the renewable energy future of the country. We should welcome that. I thank the Minister for the approach he has adopted in formulating and moving the bill through the House. I commend the bill to the House. Mr MATT KEAN (Hornsby—Minister for Energy and Environment) (15:16): In reply: I thank the member for Wollongong, the member for Newtown and the member for The Entrance for their contributions to debate on the bill. For nearly two decades our country has struggled through the climate wars. On one side there were those who were focused on protecting our environment and our way of life by reducing emissions, while on the other side there were those who were focused on protecting our economy and our prosperity. The bill provides a way to end those wars, not by inflicting defeat on one side or the other, but by delivering both sides a historic victory that not only protects our environment but also our economy. It delivers affordable and reliable electricity, and drives jobs and investment into the bush. Members are only here today because the technology and the economics are finally in a position for us to deliver on all those goals while compromising on none. Members are only here today because of the work and commitment of each and every person in the public service, in my office, at KPMG, the National Australia Bank and Aurora Energy. They have given so much of their time, and all of their intellectual heft and expertise to deliver the best possible policy for the people of New South Wales. Working in the public service is not just a job for James Hay, Chloe Hicks, Teresa Hislop and Liam Ryan: It is a commitment to building a better country. I thank them for their dedication and hard work in delivering that transformative policy. In my ministerial office I am supported by some of the most brilliant and capable individuals one would find anywhere in public life. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4980

In particular I thank Christian Dunk and Ava Hancock for their tireless efforts to get here. Ava is a brilliant lawyer and an incredibly gifted intellectual. This is the first of many achievements that she will have in her long and successful career. That team is led by the most outstanding individual that I have ever worked with, my chief of staff, Ben Coles. Ben is nothing short of outstanding. He is a remarkable talent who has the most important ingredients for success: vision, ambition and an intellect unmatched by anyone. This would not have happened without him. I thank Ben very much for that. We are also here today because of the committed approach of each and every member in this Parliament to support the bill. I thank our great Premier. She is the greatest leader currently in our nation. I thank the outstanding Deputy Premier. The bill would not be going through today without the leadership of John Barilaro and the National Party. I thank the Treasurer, , Melinda Pavey, Stuart Ayres, Adam Marshall, Dugald Saunders and Michael Johnsen in this place. I thank the Hon. Don Harwin, the Hon. and the Hon. in the other place, and every member of the Coalition who contributed to this debate. I thank crossbench members Dr Joe McGirr, Greg Piper and Alex Greenwich. I acknowledge and thank The Greens in both Houses, particularly the leadership of Mr David Shoebridge. I thank the Opposition for its leadership, support and hard work. The member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley, is an exceptional person and I thank her for all her efforts. I acknowledge the member for Wollongong, Paul Scully, who represents a community that has served our country so well for many generations by providing energy. Thanks to his hard work, that will continue for many years to come. I thank one of the smartest people in the Parliament, the Hon. Adam Searle in the other House, for his outstanding and constructive contribution to this bill. I thank my friend and mentor, the Hon. Ben Franklin, for his historic parliamentary performance, shepherding the bill through more than 30 hours of consecutive debate in the upper House and defeating all 249 amendments. Let me finish on this point: The world is taking action to reduce its emissions. We are transitioning to a low-carbon global economy. That creates huge opportunities for our State and our country. We have just decided the role our State is going to play in this future, and the place we want to take in the world. In passing this bill the Parliament has sent an emphatic statement that we embrace the future and that our best days still lie ahead of us. Let the word go forth from this vote that this State is going to take its place with the leaders of the world in taking our planet towards a more prosperous and cleaner future, where our kids have greater opportunities than any generation that has come before them. It is a future that we are privileged to be helping to shape. I commend the bill to the House. The SPEAKER: The question is that the Legislative Council's amendments be agreed to. Motion agreed to. Community Recognition Statements JENNY FARRELL AND GARRY BEST Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (15:22): The Central Coast is lucky to have so many wonderful volunteer firefighters working to protect our community. Today I acknowledge two fantastic firefighters in particular, Jenny Farrell and Garry Best. Jenny Farrell is the senior deputy captain at Matcham-Holgate Brigade and Garry Best is the deputy captain at Empire Bay Brigade. Between the two of them, they have serviced the Central Coast for over 65 years. I had the opportunity this week to present Jenny and Garry with community service medals, thanking them for their outstanding work during the past bushfire season. Jenny is an experienced firefighter and incident management specialist with more than 45 years of service in the field. Jenny's expertise and commitment during the 2019-2020 bushfire season was outstanding, contributing to operations locally and across the State. Garry is an experienced firefighter with 19 years of experience. During the 2019-2020 fire season Garry assisted with a number of out-of-area firefighting deployments. I acknowledge their wonderful contribution and congratulate them on these awards. BAY FM Ms TAMARA SMITH (Ballina) (15:23): I congratulate community-owned radio station Bay FM on the occasion of its thirtieth birthday. Community broadcasting is a vital part of the Australian media landscape, and Bay FM is no exception. Some 15,000 listeners tune into Bay FM every day, with peak audiences during breakfast, and morning and afternoon drive time. Listeners can choose from a diverse range of programs from local issues to arts and culture, Indigenous programs and Spanish programs, easy listening, local new talent and alternative rock music. Every aspect of the station is run by dedicated volunteers. I remember with great fondness my own radio show on Bay FM in the late nineties, Modern Primitive. The quality of volunteer broadcasters and loyalty of the community subscribers who own the station has not wavered in 30 years. I congratulate founding members Gayle Cue and Nancy Jo Falcone, the management team, long-time presenters such as Nyck Jeanes, and all the Bay FM family on giving our community a world-class radio experience every day of the year. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4981

DAVIDSON ELECTORATE COMMUNITY BUILDING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Mr JONATHAN O'DEA (Davidson) (15:24): The popular Community Building Partnership program of the New South Wales Government promotes various local community infrastructure projects, delivering positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes. I acknowledge the successful projects from the recent program in my local area, including high-tech solar power systems, an environmentally friendly sustainable playground and a child-safe gate for pram access into a preschool. Davidson's largest single successful grant of $56,254 has been allocated to the Scouts to build a new disabled ramp, concrete the car park and repair the hall roof in Roseville. Other recipients include: St Ives Football Club, North Shore District Softball Association, Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, Belrose Public School, East Lindfield Guide Hall, Gordon Guide Hall, Cerebral Palsy Alliance, All Saints' Air Force Memorial Church, West Lindfield, St Stephen's Belrose Kindergarten, Lindfield District Cricket Club, Belrose Tennis Club, Sir Eric Woodward, Memorial School in St Ives, Christian Assembly of Sydney in Roseville, Gordon District Cricket Club, Roseville Lawn Tennis Club and Lindfield East Public School. Community infrastructure is crucial and this program continues to be recognised in my local community. MAITLAND BUSINESS CHAMBER Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (15:26): I congratulate the Maitland Business Chamber on its Movember luncheon, which was held today at Mansfield House. Local rugby league legend and ambassador for Hunter Prostate Cancer Alliance Michael Hagan and CEO of the Newcastle Jets Lawrie McKinna were the guest speakers, raising funds in support of Movember and the East Maitland Men's Shed. I urge anyone who has not donated to Movember to do so as there are only a few days left. The Maitland Business Chamber is a proactive, inclusive and innovative chamber. I thank president Shane Hamilton of SJH Communications, vice president Michael Maffey of Four Walls Commercial and treasurer Louise Lennox of Dynamize Accounting. I thank executive members, including Andrew Mason of Uaine Candles, Melissa King of Kurl Web, Andrew Vile of Vile & Vile Solicitors, Helen Oswald of Magnetic Shots, lain MacDonald of Maitland Junior Football Club, Melanie Power of melaniepower.com, Melanie Thornton of SOAR Business Development, Sachin Joshi of Simplifying Business, and Randeep Singh of Tranter Lawyers. I thank the executive assistant and member liaison officer, Kate Meyn-Shrimpton. I congratulate the chamber on being announced as a finalist in the Hunter Business Awards 2020. CONNELLS POINT ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (14:27): I inform the House of the election of a new executive of Connells Point Rovers Football Club. I acknowledge the wonderful work of Stephen Matthews and Adam Horne, who are president and vice president of Connells Point Rovers Football Club. In particular, I acknowledge the work of Stephen and the entire executive over the past 10-plus years. Stephen leaves the executive of Connells Point Rovers Football Club having been a fundamentally important part of the club over the years. I acknowledge his hard work in obtaining council and State Government funding for the reconstruction of the fields at Poulton Park, including the new synthetic field that was opened earlier this year. On behalf of all members of the House, I acknowledge the wonderful work of Stephen Matthews. THE SOCIAL OUTFIT Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (15:27): I draw the attention of the House to The Social Outfit traineeship program, which employs young people from refugee and migrant communities to learn retail skills and confidence in a supported environment. The Social Outfit is an ethical fashion brand and community organisation that supports migrant communities through employment and training in their retail store, traineeship programs, sewing technician programs and design. The paid traineeships run for six months and are designed to transition young people who often have no work experience in Australia to external paid employment. On Wednesday evening I spoke on King Street at the graduation of the latest group of trainees, including Nasima, Shrishti, Haya, and Keziah. I congratulate these wonderful and powerful women. I wish them all the best for their futures. Credit for their incredible work in managing and supporting this life-changing program goes to retail trainer Natalie Shehata, community coordinator Parwin Paqawi, CEO Camilla Schippa and Kate Clugston for their amazing work. KINGS LANGLEY ATHLETICS CENTRE Mr MARK TAYLOR (Seven Hills) (15:29): A month ago the mighty Kings Langley Little Athletics Centre began its 2020-21 season at Morgan Power Reserve. The club registered 200 athletes for the season and will accept more enrolments as the season progresses. I thank Daniel Giffney for his outstanding dedication to the club over so many years and congratulate him on his appointment as Kings Langley Little Athletics president in recent months. I also note that his wife, Helen, is an incredible supporter of Daniel and the club as a whole. I make Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4982

special mention of Maddison Said and her family, who run the club's canteen after the club could not secure enough volunteers. I acknowledge the club's committee of vice president Ken Poole, treasurer Clint Dickson, registrar Helen Budd, Duke Wolfgramm, Doug Jack, Nerida Duncum and Cristy Dickson. I look forward to attending events at this year's Kings Langley Little Athletics Centre to see its new equipment in use, which was purchased with New South Wales Government and Commonwealth grants. TRIBUTE TO DIEGO MARADONA Mr PAUL SCULLY (Wollongong) (15:29): I place on the record the genuine outpouring of sadness within the football and Argentinian communities of Wollongong at the passing of Diego Maradona—a player who was for many the very personification of football both here and around the world. Always controversial and never far from the news, Maradona's talents as a player made him both feared and revered around the globe. As one local football tragic, Daniel Hastings, said, he was "mad as a cut snake, controversial as hell, but the greatest to have played the most played game". I think that sums up the views of many people. Despite football's loss, many people have enjoyed rewatching some of his great moments on the pitch. Of his more than 300 goals scored during his career, two stand out the most. The Hand of God and the Goal of the Century were two goals scored within minutes of each other. Many take them to epitomise the two sides of this spectacular player. Those who watched him still marvel at his skill and I urge those up-and-coming players to take the time to be inspired by his play. LIVERPOOL FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY RADIO Ms MELANIE GIBBONS (Holsworthy) (15:30): In breaking news, Liverpool Fairfield Community Radio is being provided $6,580 by the New South Wales Government to go towards helping it purchase and install a new antenna and cabling. 2GLF was set up in 1983, but more recently it has unfortunately been getting some dead spots in high-density areas and has found that some of the new high-rise buildings being built do not help with its transmissions. It needed to upgrade its antenna and broadcasting equipment. 2GLF has given so much to our community. Because of this, I wrote to the Premier to see if any funding was available to support it. Happily, she has been able to help provide this. I particularly thank Chris Sparrow and Carol North-Samardzic for keeping me up to date with what is happening at the station, and for their passion and dedication to local broadcasting. I know that this funding will go a long way in helping to support 2GLF and, importantly, help it ensure our local and very multicultural community is still connected during COVID-19. DR GEORGE MILLER Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (15:31): I acknowledge Dr George Miller, who is a general practice specialist who has practiced in Killarney Vale and The Entrance for over 30 years. He has decided to retire. He graduated from Sydney University in 1975 and went on to do further study for general practice in family medicine, including obstetrics, gynaecology, anaesthetics and paediatrics, before settling on the Central Coast in 1984. He is married with three sons and many grandchildren. Dr Miller has been closely involved in developing support networks for local GPs and promoting the critical work of palliative care in our region. His commitment to palliative care is illustrated by his service on the board of the Central Coast Palliative Care Volunteer Foundation. He has cared for over five generations of the same family. I wish Dr Miller well in his retirement and know that his patients will be feeling lost without his care. However, it is time for him to enjoy more time with his family and all that our community offers. I thank Dr Miller for his service to the Central Coast community. NORTH SHORE BEAR PIT PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (15:32): It has been an exciting day today in the Parliament because I welcomed students from across my local primary schools for the 2020 annual North Shore Bear Pit Public Speaking Competition. I was excited to host this event, particularly given the challenging year that we and all our students have had. This year the calibre of the speeches was outstanding, which is a true testament to the teaching and staff at our local schools. I congratulate Kevin Qu, who spoke on "If I were in charge, the rule I would make would be", and the stage 2 runner-up Julian Chowdury-Jones, whose topic was "How I faced my fears". I congratulate our stage 3 winner, Soraya Christian-Hare, who spoke eloquently on the topic of "Young people should be seen and heard", and our stage 3 runner-up, Philippe Michel Anquetil, on his topic "My family story". I congratulate all the finalists who competed: Dara Minogue and Siofra McAweeny from Blessed Sacrament, Monty Douglass and Dean Lowe from Middle Harbour Public School, Jack Haggman and Soraya from Mosman Public School, Oliver Chubb and Julian from Mosman Preparatory, and Kevin and Philippe from St Aloysius. I congratulate them and also thank our judges, including Mr Speaker. IAN JOSEPH KIM Ms (Auburn) (15:34): I take this opportunity to congratulate a young budding artist in our local community, Ian Joseph Kim. Ian is nine years old. He is in year 4 at Lidcombe Public School. The Art Gallery of NSW has named Ian the winner of the 9 to12 years age category of the Young Archies for his wonderful Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4983

portrait of his father, titled My Dad's brush. With over 1,800 entries from across the State, Ian's portrait was awarded on merit and originality by two judges. Ian's portrait will be displayed on exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW until 10 January 2021. I congratulate Ian on this wonderful achievement and I wish him every success on a promising career in art. I also extend my best wishes to his family, who are extremely proud of his achievements. GREAT SOUTHERN NIGHTS Mr PETER SIDGREAVES (Camden) (15:34): The music scene got a much-needed boost on 5 November as Great Southern Nights invited people to kickstart tourism and visit some of the great gigs being put on right across New South Wales. It was a pleasure to have been able to have venues all around the Macarthur region host some of these fantastic events. I particularly recognise the Gregory Hills Hotel, which played host to two Great Southern Nights gigs. Michael Duchesne and Luke Koteras both played at the Gregory Hills Hotel and were amongst a number of gigs in the Macarthur area that brought out crowds and residents to support local music. The feedback has been outstanding. I again commend Gregory Hills Hotel for playing such a vital part in kickstarting the recovery of local music and tourism. REWIRE YOUTH MAGAZINE Ms TAMARA SMITH (Ballina) (15:35): I congratulate Rewire Youth Magazine, which is being launched in the Northern Rivers this week. The magazine is created by young people for young people in our area and features their art, opinions and ideas. It is a collaborative project managed by director of Byron Youth Theatre, Lisa Apostolides, with the creative team of Anoushka Blake, Lae-Ella Sinniah, and Emily Wilson as well as SAE Institute graphic design students, Jodi Havill and Kirsty Martin, and their head of department at SAE, Donna Crotty. We know that this year has been shocking for young people in the Northern Rivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have had their schooling and studies interrupted and part-time jobs lost, experienced extended periods of isolation from friends and grandparents and had so many rites of passage cancelled and postponed. Rewire magazine reflects back at young people in our community their thoughts, hopes, dreams and artwork. I commend all of the team at Rewire Youth Magazine. I cannot wait to read it. HAWKESBURY ELECTORATE SMALL BUSINESSES Ms ROBYN PRESTON (Hawkesbury) (15:36): I thank and commend the small businesses in Hawkesbury for their resilience during what has been a tough time, with the COVID-19 pandemic having followed drought, flood and the disastrous bushfires. Their commitment and drive during these times of adversity is what makes our community function and assists us all in overcoming tough times. I always enjoy visiting and having a chat with the business owners and staff who run the small businesses in Hawkesbury. In my recent visit to South Windsor, I caught up with Nina at her fabulous shop, Nina's Preloved Goods, on George Street. Nina has a real can-do attitude and her business is providing goods that are totally in demand at this time of the year. I thank all small business owners and their employees in Hawkesbury for their tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. MORPETH POLICE POP-UP Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (15:37): I congratulate the NSW Police on their ongoing initiatives to engage and improve community policing in Maitland and the wider Port Stephens Hunter Police district. Local district commander superintendent Chad Gillies and his team of officers hosted a pop-up community event in Morpeth on 7 November to meet with and talk to local residents about any concerns that they might have. I note also that Maitland Mayor Loretta Baker and councillors Robert Aitchison and Mitchell Griffin attended this as well. It was a really good opportunity for residents to raise their concerns. This is an ongoing program, with similar pop-up sessions going on regularly around the district, to encourage communication in our community. It was Woodberry and Beresford's turn on 13 November. This is a really positive and proactive program being run by the Port Stephens Hunter Police District and ensures the police become aware of local issues as they emerge in our community. TERRY KEARNS Mr MARK SPEAKMAN (Cronulla—Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence) (15:38): I congratulate Terry Kearn of Caringbah who is celebrating his sixtieth year working for the New South Wales Government in the coming weeks. On 10 December 1960, aged 14, Terry began work at the then Department of Motor Transport. Terry is now a Senior Traffic Control Officer. One of Terry's most notable encounters was with Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, in 2000, when he visited Sydney to assess the bid for the 2000 Olympics. Terry explained SCATS [Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System] and how the control centre was able to effectively manage traffic flow to ensure Mr Samaranch did not stop at a red light. Terry has witnessed the development of transport infrastructure over the past 60 years, including seeing 365 traffic signals become over 4,500. He has seen every freeway and traffic tunnel built and all but one tollway. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Terry and presenting him an Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4984

award for his 50 years of service as a New South Wales justice of the peace. I thank Terry for his dedication to his work and his contribution to the people of New South Wales in over 60 years of continual service. RAISE FOUNDATION Ms JENNY LEONG (Newtown) (15:39): I draw the attention of this Parliament to the Raise Youth Frontiers mentoring program at Fort Street High School. Raise Foundation is a charity organisation operated by volunteers and donations that implements mentoring programs in public secondary programs in Australia. Raise has operated the Youth Frontiers program at Fort Street High School since 2015. The program matches trained adult mentors with mentees in years 8 and 9 whom their teachers feel might benefit from it. On Monday I spoke at the graduation for the latest cohort of mentors and mentees at Fort Street. The mentees all spoke about the massive confidence boost the program provided to them, and many of them were able to speak in front of a crowd for the first time. The mentors also noted how much they looked forward to the program every week. I thank Fort Street High School head of wellbeing Penelope Starr and Raise program counsellor Nicole McEncroe as well as the Raise team for its dedication to supporting the next generation of young people. GANNONS PARK, PEAKHURST Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:40): The latest stage of the multimillion-dollar upgrade works at Gannons Park, Peakhurst, were unveiled recently by Minister Rob Stokes, the Federal member for Banks, David Coleman, the Mayor of Georges River Council, Kevin Greene, and me. The works include the installation of drainage and irrigation, the resurfacing of eight sporting fields, the construction of five cricket wickets and a large new sports amenities building. The works also include the completion of stage two of the Gannons Park water quality improvement stormwater harvesting scheme, which will provide over 26 million litres of treated stormwater each year for irrigating the sporting fields. The former Boggywell Creek has been diverted from an underground stormwater pipe and reinstated as a creek. The harvest water flows through the constructed wetlands and bioretention systems. This process helps to provide a clean water resource for irrigation for sporting fields, reducing the use of potable water. The scheme has significantly enhanced the biodiversity inhabitant value for the park through the creation of wetlands, a bioretention system and storage ponds. I thank all levels of government, including Georges River Council, for the construction of this upgrade. MARIA PYROS Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (15:41): I acknowledge my constituent Maria Pyros for her strong community advocacy in The Entrance electorate. Maria has been instrumental in helping people with disabilities and the elderly as well as primary school students and parents with prams who are seeking improved pedestrian safety in the Killarney Vale area. Maria has been leading a community campaign with a petition calling on Central Coast Council to complete a footpath on one of the busiest main roads in the area, Brooke Avenue. On behalf of the community, I thank Maria for tirelessly pursuing and obtaining signatures on the petition. I hope that council will now complete the footpath to assist those who navigate this dangerous stretch of road on a daily basis. EAST HILLS ELECTORATE CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION Ms WENDY LINDSAY (East Hills) (15:42): I was thrilled with the outstanding artistic quality of the hundreds of entries from local East Hills primary school students who entered my Christmas card competition this year. It certainly made the selection process extremely difficult. There were cards sending virtual hugs, holding Zoom meetings with Santa, COVID-safe elves, finger-painted reindeer, Christmas angels, Santas stuck in chimneys, scenes of snowmen—lots with sparkly glitter, which I love—kookaburras, plenty of koalas, and happy beach and family scenes. Apart from the running theme of COVID-19, the majority of the rest of the designs were Australian themed. The winning design was drawn by 12-year-old Chelsea Song, who attends Picnic Point Public School. Chelsea's design was reminiscent of our coat of arms, with an emu and a kangaroo decorating a Christmas tree. As the competition was so fierce, this year I had four runners-up: Abigail Pachuau from Padstow Park Public School, Lily Nguyen from Georges Hall Public School, Ruby Smith from Panania Public School and Ayah Helwe from Picnic Point Public School. I congratulate them all and thank everyone who entered. I wish everyone in the East Hills electorate a very merry Aussie Christmas. JOHN O'BRIEN Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (15:43): I acknowledge John O'Brien of Jurox, a veterinary medical supply service that specialises in devices and medications in my electorate of Maitland at Rutherford. The firm employs some 160 full-time staff. Along with Kate O'Mara, the director of special projects at Regional Development Australia, and , the shadow assistant defence Minister, and member for Patterson, the other week I was lucky to have a really good look through this amazing facility. It is such advanced manufacturing. The firm is at the cutting edge in Australia for providing much-needed assistance to farmers. We saw an intra-uterine device that will help in cattle breeding and lead to better outcomes in animal welfare for Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4985

all animals, eliminating bobby calves being produced. The firm's packaging, development and research is second to none. I thank the firm so much for the opportunity to see its wares. CENTRAL COAST AMBULANCES Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (15:44): I am pleased to confirm for the House that 89 new ambulances have been rolled out across the State as part of the Government's response to COVID-19. This week I had the great honour of announcing that 14 of those 89 new class one ambulances will come to the Central Coast by December. Providing state-of-the-art equipment and resources is one of the best things the New South Wales Government can do to support paramedics responding to emergencies in our community. Bateau Bay, Doyalson, Ettalong, Hamlyn Terrace, Hawkesbury, Morisset, Point Clare and Toukley will all benefit from the $17 million investment—from one end of the Central Coast to the other. This week I had the pleasure of visiting Point Clare ambulance station to announce the new fleet. While there I had the chance to catch up with zone manager Joel Dezuna—an outstanding representative of the ambulance community—to talk about the fleet and how the improvements with this new fleet will benefit not just the community but the incredible paramedics who work there. It is evident that these new state-of-the-art ambulances will be great support for our paramedics as they continue to provide world-class care and save lives. EAST MAITLAND RSL SUB-BRANCH Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (15:45): Last Saturday I had the incredible honour of attending the coffee day at East Maitland RSL Sub-Branch. Every two weeks it holds this coffee day from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. It is a really good opportunity for RSL members and families to get together and have a chat without all the formality of their normal meetings. I was very pleased to see all of the additions and improvements the club has made to its hall and its welfare and counselling room. Today I acknowledge the leadership of its president, Steve Grimmer. Unfortunately, he is going to be doing a posting overseas in December, so he will be lost to Maitland for some time, but hopefully he will come back. I also acknowledge Neil Cromarty, the Maitland war memorial and rest park land manager. The work that these two people have done, continuing the great work of the RSL and supporting our veterans, is second to none. I congratulate them on their achievements. CITY OF LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ms MELANIE GIBBONS (Holsworthy) (15:46): I congratulate the City of Liverpool and District Historical Society on the official opening of its new museum. The recently opened Havard Room is named after local historians Ward and Olive Havard, who were also integral in the formation of the society, and is located on the third level of Liverpool City Library. To coincide with the opening, the historical society is presenting its main ongoing exhibition entitled The History of Liverpool in 60 Objects, along with two other exhibits entitled New Arrivals and What has the Smart Phone Done for Us. I congratulate Mr Glen op den Brouw, the president of the City of Liverpool and District Historical Society, and all of its members on this fantastic achievement and milestone. I know they were looking for space for some time and I am glad that Liverpool City Council finally found some, after many years of the society being in the very dark and appropriately named room, The Bunker. I look forward to catching up with them all soon and to checking out their new space. JOANNA LEE AND MONA WU Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (15:47): I congratulate two students from North Sydney Girls High School, Joanna Lee and Mona Wu, who have been selected for the 2021 ARTEXPRESS exhibition. Many members in this place know that the annual ARTEXPRESS exhibition features an outstanding selection of student artworks and features the art-making component of their HSC examination. This exhibition encompasses a broad range of approaches and expressive forms, including ceramics, drawings, painting and sculpture. We know that many of our year 12 students have had to manage the majority of their studies from home this year, particularly during the first half of the school year, so it is a testament to Joanna and Mona to have delivered such a high standard of work. Joanna Lee's body of work, entitled Imprints, will be showcased at the Armory at Sydney Olympic Park, and Mona Wu's body of work, entitled Gathering Dust, will be on virtual exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I congratulate these students on this impressive result for the HSC works in visual arts. GLENN AND CLARE WISEMAN Mr ROB STOKES (Pittwater—Minister for Planning and Public Spaces) (15:48): I recognise the wonderful work of Glenn and Clare Wiseman, pastors of the Link Church at Narrabeen, and the wonderful volunteers who they work with in distributing food to those in need in the Pittwater community. As with all communities, it has been hard-hit by the pandemic. I also acknowledge the incredible work they do in the broader community. I thank the Premier, who personally came to Narrabeen to visit the church to thank the Wisemans and issue them with a community service award for their work. Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4986

Mr ADAM CROUCH: I seek the concurrence of the House to extend community recognition statements until 4.00 p.m. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Greg Piper): I rule that we shall run until 4.00 p.m. DENNIS FAMILY AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (15:49): The sweet smell of success is again wafting from the Dennis family agricultural farm as they are successfully diversifying into flower growing. The flowers have been added to their regular and heirloom vegetables being sold at the Slow Food Earth Markets, which are held fortnightly on a Thursday at The Levee Central Maitland. It is a good example of the innovations being undertaken in our rural sector to level out the varied weather, market and economic conditions that are faced by farmers. Matthew and Sue Dennis diversified into flowers to add another income stream from their land, between and in addition to the vegetable crops grown on their Pitnacree plot. So far they are growing hardy varieties such as sunflowers and zinnias and it is going down a treat with their customers. The addition of flowers to the markets is adding a new dimension to the regular event for growers and customers. It is great to see the people of Maitland given another opportunity to buy local, particularly as many of the flowers in our shops are now flown in from overseas. STATE BUDGET AND CAMDEN ELECTORATE Mr PETER SIDGREAVES (Camden) (15:50): The New South Wales 2020-21 budget will deliver almost $160 million in transport infrastructure for the Camden community as part of a wider $72.2 billion for public transport and road spending. Over $54 million has been allocated to continue the construction of a multistorey car park at Leppington Station that will deliver up to 1,000 additional car spaces. The upgrade of The Northern Road between Peter Brock Drive and Mersey Road will be undertaken thanks to an allocation of $41 million. Close to $24 million has been allocated to complete the upgrade of Bringelly Road between King Street and The Northern Road, whilst over $20 million will ensure that the upgrade of The Northern Road between Mersey Road and Eaton Road can be completed. Work on stage one of the Spring Farm Parkway upgrade will be accelerated. Connectivity between Camden Bypass and the Spring Farm Parkway stage one to provide access to the Hume Motorway and Menangle Road will be investigated with a further $2 million. Those fantastic outcomes will completely transform the way that Camden residents move around our community. RAIL, TRAM, AND BUS UNION Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (15:51): I acknowledge the members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union [RTBU]. This morning they took industrial action because of their strong fears for the safety of the intercity trains that are soon to be introduced on the Central Coast line. I acknowledge in particular the state secretary of the RTBU, Alex Claassens, for his leadership on this issue. The members of that union on the Central Coast and in my electorate have expressed to me their concern that not having a guard will reduce the safety of the new trains for people using the rail network. They are concerned that without a guard the train driver will not have sufficient facility to observe passengers on the many curved platforms of our electorate, which may reduce overall safety. I hope that they are able to resolve their differences with the Government in the interests of the safety of our rail network. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND RELATED INDUSTRIES DAY Ms ROBYN PRESTON (Hawkesbury) (15:52): On 20 November 2020 it was National Agriculture and Related Industries Day, also known as National Ag Day, when we celebrate our awesome farmers and those in related industries. I am so proud to live in the food bowl of Sydney. Beautiful Hawkesbury provides a plethora of fresh produce for families, eateries, hospitals and clubs locally as well as around New South Wales and overseas. Our farmers and those in related industries have had a really tough time with droughts, floods, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. They have shown the true Hawkesbury spirit and have remained resilient throughout. I take this opportunity to thank and commend our hardworking Hawkesbury farmers. The Hawkesbury community is grateful for the commitment, sacrifice and risk that they take in what is such an important industry to our community and beyond. I wish farmers and those in related industries all the very best. KURNELL MEN'S SHED Mr MARK SPEAKMAN (Cronulla—Attorney General, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence) (15:53): Last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting the open day at the Kurnell Men's Shed. Michael Cooper and his crew moved in at the beginning of the year and the Men's Shed has been operative since September. It attracts men not only from the suburb of Kurnell but further afield in other parts of the Sutherland Shire. Like other men's sheds it provides a great opportunity for men to improve their mental health and wellbeing through sharing skills, making things and simply having a chat. The men's shed at Kurnell is quite a spacious Thursday, 19 November 2020 Legislative Assembly Page 4987

premise, with a room for woodworking for people with much better craftsman's skills than I could ever dream to have, and a breakout area for a chat and a game of pool. It is a great addition to Kurnell. I commend Michael Cooper and his team for their initiative. THE SHEPHERD CENTRE Ms MELANIE GIBBONS (Holsworthy) (15:54): The Shepherd Centre does some amazing work in the Holsworthy electorate—and indeed right across the State. The work that it does in helping children and babies who are born deaf or hearing impaired is simply life-changing. I was glad to hear that it will receive a $2.5 million contribution from the New South Wales Government towards its new centre of excellence in Campbelltown. This is a project that I have been advocating for alongside the Shepherd Centre for some time because of the benefits that it will bring in supporting children with hearing loss in south-western Sydney. Having a new centre of excellence in Campbelltown will ease the burden on other services and reduce travel times for families who access them. I particularly thank Dr Jim Hungerford, CEO of the Shepherd Centre, for his vision in having this new centre established, and the Minister for Health and Medical Research for his support of this idea. I once again congratulate the Shepherd Centre and cannot wait to see this project progress in the future. THE ENTRANCE STATE ELECTORAL COUNCIL Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (15:55): I acknowledge The Entrance State Electoral Council of the , and in particular president Bill Thompson and secretary Kyle MacGregor. They are a great support to me. The Entrance State Electoral Council of the Australian Labor Party has a very long tradition of supporting and acting in the interests of the party in the difficult environment of a marginal electorate where Labor does not always hold the seat. They do great work supporting me. I acknowledge them and all of the branches in my electorate: The Entrance Day Branch, the Tumbi Umbi Branch and the Ourimbah-Narara Valley Branch. I wish them all the very best for their endeavours in the future. CENTRAL COAST RURAL FIRE SERVICE Mr ADAM CROUCH (Terrigal) (15:56): The Central Coast can feel so much better protected after the official handover of four new fire trucks to our region. Those are being delivered to Ourimbah, Wadalba, Awaba and Killcare-Wagstaffe. I was delighted to join the Minister for Police and Emergency Services this week when we officially handed over the keys, in company with the amazing Superintendent Viki Campbell. It was great to hand over the ownership of the trucks to those wonderful brigades. The tankers, collectively worth more than $720,000, will enable those brigades to strengthen their firefighting efforts and give an even greater level of fire protection to the local community on the Central Coast. The vehicles have been delivered as part of the Government's record investment into RFS. It was absolutely fantastic to meet with the representatives from each of those brigades, hearing stories from their previous jobs and experiences. It was great to catch up with my locals from Killcare and Wagstaffe who brought in the brand new truck. They were absolutely delighted and quite amazed with the new technology on that vehicle. TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Greg Piper): With the indulgence of the members who remain in the Chamber, I add to that and acknowledge the Government's investment in that important equipment for our Rural Fire Service volunteers. I acknowledge that brigades from all around the Central Coast—and indeed around the State—are on standby for what could be a very torrid time this weekend. I wish them all the best. Hopefully communities across New South Wales are not subjected to the kind of disaster that they suffered earlier this year. It would appear that we have exhausted the number of community recognition statements. I once again seek an indulgence to note the significance of the end of this extraordinary parliamentary year. I acknowledge the fantastic work of all of those who have been at the front line of dealing with COVID-19, which has impacted our communities so much. Here in this Parliament, I acknowledge my elected colleagues. I acknowledge the Clerk and his team, and the long-suffering Hansard people. I thank them all for what they have done for the Parliament this year. I know that there are not that many members listening, but I hope that they have a restful time with their families and friends, and come back refreshed next year. The House adjourned pursuant to resolution at 16:01 until Tuesday 9 February 2021 at 12:00.