One year as your Local Member

Political News– It only feels like yesterday when I was on the campaign trail, embarking on a journey I never expected to take.

Meeting with the residents of the Riverstone electorate and hearing their concerns kept me going. I knew that after 12 long years of neglect from the former government, Riverstone needed a change, a fresh start. I am glad that, for the first time in a long time, the Riverstone electorate is being given the attention it needs and deserves.

One year in government for this Minns Labor Government and 1 year as your local member is a surreal feeling, and I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to represent our community.

Before taking office, it was clear that the Riverstone electorate had been left in the past – the combination of ageing infrastructure, poor planning and rapid population growth has culminated in an electorate facing a wide set of challenges.

From a broader perspective, the Liberals and Nationals in both Federal and State government had eroded our economy; in the case of NSW, our State was left with a $186,000,000,000 debt and a $7,000,000,000 black hole. The financial mismanagement of the Federal and State budgets left us with a cost-ofliving crisis.

Riverstone families were hit with a double blow. A burgeoning population on inadequate roads, failing public transport, overloaded local schools, and a promised hospital that was never funded, coupled with a cost-of-living crisis, meant that everyone in the Riverstone electorate was doing it tough.

However, people voted for change, and change is what they got. Before any decisions that would affect our community were made, I knew ministers and department heads needed to see our situation firsthand. Countless meetings and tours, including a full day with the Treasurer in Riverstone, meant that the government was making informed decisions.

These informed decisions were seen in our first Budget, which ended the era of putting private interests before public need, and a budget that puts funding into the places -and people – who deserve it the most.

From an infrastructure perspective, there were 3 big-ticket items that needed to be addressed. Rapid population growth coupled with inadequate planning rendered our education, health, and road infrastructure unfit for purpose.

EDUCATION
Riverstone is home to the fastest-growing population in the state. It also has the youngest families in the state and, as a result, the most school aged children in NSW. The previous Liberal Government left schooling in Riverstone overwhelmed, with overfilled classrooms, demountable diminishing play spaces and overworked teachers.

The budget delivered temporary primary schools for Nirimba Fields and Tallowing – while sites and funding have been locked in for their permanent homes. A muchneeded high school will come in the form of Tallawong-Schofields High, which has also had a site and funding secured.

Importantly, existing schools such as Riverstone Primary and John Palmer Public Schools will receive much-needed upgrades to support a growing student base. These measures, in conjunction with record teacher pay rises and the securing of permanency for over 16,700 teachers across the state, this government has injected much-needed consolidation into our local network of schools.

ROADS
With increased population – there comes a larger influx of cars on the road. Growing up in Riverstone, some of the roads I used to ride my bike along during my youth have remained the same. Now with population increased and continuing to do so, these roads cannot cope.

Hence, we have funded upgrades to Bandon and Garfield East Roads to reduce the number of heavy trucks and vehicles relying on suburban roads. Upgrades in and around the electorate such as the Sunny Holt and Windsor Road intersection will bolster crucial thoroughfare for residents in Stanhope Gardens and Kellyville Ridge.

Safety upgrades and repairs to key flood evacuation routes throughout our electorate including Richmond Road – further improves the state of these crucial routes. This government is committed to delivering a holistic road plan for the fastest growing electorate to keep our traffic flowing.

HEALTH
A critical point of failure of the past government was their inadequacy for health planning, especially in Western Sydney. Since 2015 the people of Riverstone were promised a new Rouse Hill hospital – one that was failed to be delivered. With even more residents in Northwest Sydney than ever before, the existing Western Sydney health network is burgeoning with increased patient loads.

Our government has increased the proposed number of beds to 300 – transforming the original proposal of a glorified medical centre to a full-fledged hospital with the inclusion of an emergency department. Alongside securing the hospital – supporting health workers has been a hall mark of this government, ensuring fairer wages and job security all to provide a health network that adequately serves Northwest Sydney and broadly the state.

When I look back on these achievements, I cannot help but feel proud of this Government. This first year as your Member for Riverstone has been the greatest privilege of my life. For years, I was on the outside – now I have a seat at the table and, every day that I am there, I am advocating for the needs of our community.