Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am incredibly proud to represent my community as the federal member for Lindsay, and this year has shown the best of us in the hardest times. For many local families and small businesses, they have experienced challenges—from the pandemic to the floods—and yet together we have achieved so much this year. Our community has worked incredibly hard to get us back to the Aussie lifestyle we love. Over 94 per cent of our community is fully vaccinated, helping to protect our loved ones and our neighbours from serious illness and death amid a global pandemic that has claimed over five million lives.

In my maiden speech to parliament, I promised I would not let my community down. Since that time, I've worked hard to deliver my election commitments and projects that make Lindsay an even better place to live, work and stay. I delivered $127 million to fully fund the Dunheved Road upgrade, and it's great to see Penrith City Council taking the necessary steps for this much needed project.

Across Lindsay we're investing around $8 billion to improve safety and ease congestion on our roads, and to build infrastructure that will get more people out of traffic and able to spend more time building their business or be at home with their families. Improving our public spaces and increasing accessibility to healthy, active living is part of my plan for Lindsay, and I'm proud to have delivered important upgrades to local sports facilities, new security infrastructure and CCTV at shopping centres areas in Werrington and St Marys. We are keeping our beautiful Nepean River healthy by supporting native vegetation and clearing weeds. There is a new $14 million adult Head to Health clinic to ensure local people have the highest quality mental health care and support when they need it most. We are supporting the Penrith Women's Health Centre with funding for additional domestic violence caseworkers and providing vital upgrades to our local community halls.

These projects and the Morrison government's economic support measures have helped small businesses get through the worst of the pandemic, emerge stronger and get back to doing what they do best: creating local jobs for local people. As we approach the holiday season, I know how much local families will be looking forward to gathering together and celebrating, and it's our community's hard work that has made this possible. I offer my most sincere appreciation for the unwavering efforts of the local people and organisations who have looked after each other, cared for our community and embodied the spirit that has seen us overcome every challenge. As this is the final parliamentary sitting day for 2021, I would like to wish everyone in my community a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.