ADJOURNMENT NOTES- 2021 WRAP UP

Welcome to the final Adjournment Notes for 2021.

Parliament has now drawn to a close; however, numerous Upper House inquiries continue their important work.

The pandemic appears now to be moving to a more endemic presence as we continue to hit high vaccination targets. Everybody should be thanked for our combined efforts to fight this disease.

In my role as Parliamentary Secretary, I've been moving around the community representing the government and thanking front line workers, including hospital staff.

As I campaigned for Local Government Elections in South West Sydney, where harsher lockdowns were required, the message I keep hearing is 'let's move on' as people seek to rebuild some normality in their families and communities. And rebuild their recovering business.

Finally, on behalf of my office team (pictured below), we wish all readers a Merry Christmas and peaceful, safe New Year.

Looking forward to a brighter 2022!

I hope you enjoy Adjournment Notes.

As always, do not hesitate to contact me if I can assist on any matter.

Sincerely,

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Peaceful New Year from my office team. Pictured alongside Shani Murphy and Liam Kiss.

MY WORK IN PARLIAMENT

Despite the Delta lockdown, 2021 has been a busy year for the NSW Legislative Council. Throughout the year, I delivered 106 speeches in the Chamber, including updating the House on my work as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and the Aerotropolis, and moving the motion for the House to commemorate Remembrance Day.

This year I moved 25 motions in the House - on matters ranging from commending the Movember Foundation for their work to informing the House of the Bradfield City Centre First Building contract being awarded.

In addition to my work in the Upper House, I served on 10 committees and 29 inquiries on topics ranging from Road Tolling regimes to the Review of the Heritage Act 1977. I chaired two of these inquiries - the Selection of Bills Committee and the Parliamentary Inquiry into Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010.

BLUE MOUNTAINS HOSPITAL VISIT

Last Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to visit Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital to check out their newly opened Special Care Nursery.

Supported by an over $290,000 investment by the Perrottet Government, the new three-bed Special Care Nursery is a dedicated unit for infants needing care for less complicated but still concerning neonatal issues or additional medical monitoring who do not require intensive care admission.

Families can now stay in their area for these services with peace of mind that their baby is receiving high-quality care at their local hospital. This makes it easier for working families to receive the best care for their children.

While visiting the Blue Mountains Hospital, wherever possible without disrupting their work, I would gather up five or more staff to relay the thanks of the Minister, the Government and the people of NSW for their tireless work over the past two years.

WESTERN SYDNEY (NANCY-BIRD WALTON) INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION

On 19 November, I joined Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Premier Dominic Perrottet, and the Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, to announce the start of construction on the Western Sydney (Nancy-Bird Walton) International Airport terminal.

The terminal build is the next step towards Sydney's first 24/7 international airport opening in 2026 - already a quarter of the Airport's construction is complete.

When complete, the combined international and domestic terminal is expected to welcome over 10 million people a year and serve as the gateway between the surrounding Aerotropolis and the rest of the world.

Construction of the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport is expected to support 11,000 jobs, with targets set to ensure Western Sydney residents have access to these jobs. So far, the 30% target has been convincingly exceeded, with 50% of the Airport workforce living in Western Sydney. The terminal itself will support over 1,400 direct jobs.

When the Airport opens in 2026, in conjunction with the Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport and the Bradfield City Centre First Building, it will support tens of thousands more jobs in the Aerotropolis and Western Sydney. Particularly exciting for me as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and the Aerotropolis, in the Aerotropolis alone, 60,000 jobs are predicted by 2036.

One exciting feature of the new terminal is the innovative approach to baggage collection. Rather than waiting around for their bags to come around the carousel, passengers will be able to track their luggage with a dedicated app telling them when to pick it up.

This reflects the Government's technology-based customer and resident-centric approach to designing the Nancy-Bird Walton Airport and surrounding Aerotropolis.

JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO HISTORICAL GAY AND TRANSGENDER HATE CRIMES IN NSW

The highlight of my year, and indeed my career to date, was the decision by the Perrottet Government to establish a Judicial Inquiry into Gay and Transgender Hate Crimes between 1970 and 2010.

As those who feel as strongly about this issue as I do may recall, the Judicial Inquiry was a recommendation I supported as Chair of the Legislative Council's Standing Committee on Social Issues. The Committee's 'Inquiry into Gay Hate and Transgender Hate Crimes between 1970 and 2010' commenced in 2018. Over that time, my colleagues and I heard some truly devastating stories from victims, their families, the LGBTI community, and advocacy organisations.

NSW is a wonderful place to live, but there is no avoiding the fact that there have been dark times in our history. These cowardly and brutal crimes are just that. The government's steps to address these injustices will help our state and the LGBTI community recover from these tragic events.

As I said when the Judicial Inquiry was announced: "The long road to this moment is a tribute to Kay Warren and those who lost loved ones. Kay's son Ross disappeared at Mark's Park in 1989, and she never gave up the fight for justice. Those responsible for these crimes are now middle-aged, and many remain unpunished. This Inquiry is the right way to address the concerns of the community and hopefully bring some of the offenders to justice. My great thanks to all those who supported and helped our Inquiry and to my colleagues."

I would encourage you to take a moment to read the report prepared by the Committee to learn more about why a Judicial Inquiry is necessary. You can read the report here.

As Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Issues, I gave a number of media interviews about the importance of this Judicial Inquiry.

You can listen to my interview with Patricia Karvelas on ABC Radio National here.

You can watch my interview on Sky News Australia with Laura Jayes on AM Agenda here.

You can read my comments in Greg Callaghan's Sydney Morning Herald article, 'Judicial inquiry into gay hate crimes in NSW set to begin' here.

BRADFIELD CITY CENTRE AND
FIRST BUILDING PROGRESS

It's been an exciting year for infrastructure and investment in NSW. Particularly so in Western Sydney and the Aerotropolis. Earlier this year, I joined former Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Premier Dominic Perrottet, and Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, to announce the NSW Government's $1.15 billion budget commitment to kick start work on the Bradfield City Centre. Bradfield is shaping up to be Australia's first zero-carbon, smart city.

Bradfield will support up to 17,600 highly skilled jobs in advanced industries like aerospace and defence, agribusiness and next-generation health and education facilities.

The centrepiece of Bradfield City Centre will be the $138.2 million First Building, home to the $24.9 million Advanced Research and Manufacturing Facility, which will be equipped with $22.9 million worth of shared-use equipment for research institutions and industry to collaborate.

On 8 October, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, announced that the contract for the First Building was awarded to Australian-owned company, Hassell.

The First Building reached another major milestone on 23 November with the Western Parkland City Authority lodging a State Significant Development Application for the project. The proposed design for the building utilises laminated timber and other sustainable materials, cutting down on construction and demolition waste and will be highly energy-efficient with the ability to operate off the grid using renewable energy.

The First Building is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and will serve as the anchor tenant while Bradfield City Centre and the Aerotropolis grow around it.

LIVING WITH COVID

As I'm writing this update, 92.9% of NSW residents over 16 have been fully vaccinated, and 94.7% have received their first dose. Thanks to this effort, restrictions have largely been eased, and life is beginning to get back to a level of normalcy living with COVID. Once again, families will celebrate the holidays together and travel around NSW.

While it's important we remain vigilant and ready to act if need be, I'm optimistic 2022 will be the year we begin to learn how to live with COVID in a vaccinated, safe way.

EVENTS

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