Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 25 March, New South Wales residents will have the opportunity of voting in a Labor government after a decade of Liberal privatisation, mismanagement and infighting. For too long, New South Wales has had a government that has been obsessed with the privatisation of public assets; that has chronically underfunded our public schools, public transport, local infrastructure and hospital system; and that has kept the wages of public servants, like nurses, ambulance paramedics, teachers and police, low. The consequences have been disastrous for many communities in south-western Sydney. Our communities are experiencing rapid growth but this is not being met with adequate roads, schools, public transport or sewerage. The coalition government in New South Wales has had 12 years to deliver and our communities are examples of that failure. So many projects have run over time and overbudget. We have ferries that can't allow passengers on the top deck because they might lose their heads if they go under a bridge. And trains and trams are cracking after limited use—or, worse, they won't even fit on tracks at all.

New South Wales Labor has a plan to provide a fair share and a fresh start for the people of New South Wales. Schools in Werriwa are overcrowded, with new suburbs waiting years and children needing to travel to get to their closest public school. Labor in New South Wales has promised to rebuild our education system, with a comprehensive plan that includes a $400 million education future fund, building public schools and shifting 10,000 temporary teaching positions to permanent ones. I want to commend the commitment to building a new high school in Leppington to cater for the fast-growing suburbs of Leppington, Denham Court and Austral. And tolls disproportionally target our communities in Werriwa. Over the last five years, rising tolls and new toll roads have added thousands of dollars to already stretched household budgets. Labor will also cap tolls to ease cost-of-living pressures, whilst reviewing the toll network to untangle the mess made by the current New South Wales coalition government.

New South Wales Labor have presented a fresh start and a positive vision for the people of New South Wales, and I look forward to seeing a Labor government after March 25. But a new parliament, of course, means that many serving parliamentarians are retiring after serving their communities for many years. I'm privileged to have worked with these local members both as a councillor and as member for Werriwa, and I would like to put on the record my thanks for their services to our community. Melanie Gibbons has been the member for Menai since 2011. While we come from different sides of the political fence, I'd like to wish her and her family all of the best for the future. Nick Lalich has represented the area as the member for Cabramatta since 2008, having served on Fairfield council as a councillor since 1987. Guy Zangari has been the member for Fairfield since 2011, and is a powerhouse in his representations the area. He is often at multiple functions and community events every weekend. I hope he enjoys the next stage of his life with Melissa and his children. He deserves more time with them, and I'm told that the fish should watch out!

Paul Lynch, the member for Liverpool, is also retiring after 36 years of representing our community. Paul was elected to Liverpool council in 1987 and to state parliament in 1995. He has worked hard to represent the needs of the community, and he has so many people who admire his work and will be sad to see him go. He has worked so much in the time that he has been in parliament. Paul has also been a friend, supporter and mentor to me, and I will very much miss our collaboration over this time. He and Deb deserve the best retirement. I thank him for everything he has done for our community, for me and for my family.

I wish the candidates in the election all the best, with a shout out to Anoulack Chanthivong, the member for Macquarie Fields; and Labor candidates Charishma Kaliyanda for Liverpool, Nathan Hagarty in Leppington and Mick Maroney in Holsworthy. I look forward to working with whoever is voted in by the people of New South Wales—all the new members in my area—but I really hope they are Labor members!

House adjourned at 19:59