with Warren Kirby MP

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 one 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-of-living 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 costof-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 three 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 Tallawong – while sites and funding have been locked in for their permanent homes . A much-needed 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 three hundred – 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 my 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 .